1. Jordan Rakei lets us behind the Cloak
Jordan Rakei is a Brisbane-born, London-dwelling Soul singer/writer/producer, probably best known for collaborations with Disclosure and Sam Smith. His co-written track, ‘Masterpiece’, closed Disclosure’s Grammy-Nominated sophomore album, ‘Caracal’ and has earned Rakei a spot as an up-&-comer to watch.
After several acclaimed single and E.P. releases, Rakei dropped his debut album last Friday June 3rd 2016. Great things to say all around about this one! Jordan delivers the rich, jazz and hip hop infused Soul music his fans have become used to, taken to greater heights at points throughout the album. Cloak, as a body of work, is an album for the true Soul music lover, with several moments poignant for different reasons. Sometimes it’s the quieter music, the lyrical depth and other times it’s the nostalgia for a sound we don’t hear in a lot of music today.
But there are also moments for the more casual music fan. Jordan’s producer background stands out clearly, as the music behind his melodies are very richly overlaid, with a range of influences – from jazz, hip hop, blues, through to electronic music. The melodies are regularly peppered with rich, multi-part harmonies that lift the album’s sonics.
Summary is it’s a great album – another one to add to the list of the brilliant music the first half of 2016 has brought us. Our early favs are the opener, Midnight Mischief, Talk to Me, Rooftop and Lost Myself . Listen below and see Jordan’s track-by-track guide to the album (and check out the video above to learn a bit more about him).
