Jordan Rakei - Origin (Deluxe Edition) '2020

Tracks list

Soulful, intimate and expansive all at once, Jordan Rakei’s third album,
“Origin”, cuts straight to the point, in every sense of the word.
The melodies are brighter, the sound is bigger and the vision behind it more
finely-tuned. Switching up from the highly personal and intimate portrait he
painted with 2017’s “Wallflower”, which was a way of
grappling with his experience of anxiety and introversion, “Origin”
is overtly inspired by dystopian visions of our future - notably Charlie
Brooker’s Black Mirror, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s
Tale and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. “I’m worried that
we’re losing a sense of connection,” explains Jordan, with many of
the album lyrics exploring technological growth, and how it affects our sense of
humanity. For example, new single ‘Say Something’ is “about
speaking up for what you believe in”, a call to arms for future humans to
stand up against the AI systems which govern a now-dystopian world. It follows
recent single ‘Mind’s Eye’, which envisions a future world
where malfunctioning tech implanted in the human body has flooded the users mind
with projections of chaos. He meditates daily, something he adopted partly in
response to his issues with anxiety, and something which has shaped his
worldview and informed his writing and production process.

Since signing to Ninja Tune and releasing “Wallflower”, Jordan Rakei
has stamped his authority as a preternaturally talented songwriter, producer and
live performer and cemented his worldwide rep as a modern soul icon in the
making. New Zealand-born and Brisbane-raised, Jordan settled in London in 2015
and quickly found himself in a network of like-minded individuals, forming
friendships that have spawned many professional collaborations. He is part of
the “Are We Live” crew with Tom Misch, Barney Artist and Alfa Mist,
who put on gigs, record podcasts and make music together, and Jordan has
written, produced and performed on four tracks for Loyle Carner’s new
album (including recent single ‘Ottolenghi’ and ‘Loose
Ends’ feat. Jorja Smith). He has also found the same passion for
experimentation and rhythm in frequent collaborator Richard Spaven (drummer and
don of the British jazz scene who has collaborated with Flying Lotus, Jose James
and Mala). Likewise, in the founder of the dance party and label Rhythm Section
- Bradley Zero - who released Jordan’s “Joy, Ease, Lightness”
EP under the pseudonym Dan Kye in 2016. Simon Green aka Bonobo also included an
exclusive Dan Kye track on his recent “Fabric presents Bonobo” DJ
mix, having previously invited Jordan to perform alongside him at Alexandra
Palace in 2018. Beyond the London scene too, there is no doubt that the depth
and craftsmanship of Jordan’s music is turning heads worldwide. He
recently joined Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers in the studio for a writing session
and, following his show at Cape Town Jazz Festival last year, Jordan came off
stage to find Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin (producer for Kendrick Lamar,
Snoop Dogg and Herbie Hancock) waiting in the wings to commend him for his
performance, with Martin wasting no time in inviting him out to LA to record
together in his studio.

On “Origin”, Rakei has scaled up his ambitions, and is more
confident in the way he goes about achieving them. Making tracks that speak more
confidently, in brighter colours, and which deal with something bigger than
himself. He channeled the classic songwriting and musicality of his heroes
Stevie Wonder and Steely Dan, striving to surprise and delight with the form of
his work, and always infusing it with the same effortless swing and human feel
that he fell in love with listening to A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock and 9th
Wonder. 

Tracklist:
01 - Jordan Rakei - Mad World (3:16) 
02 - Jordan Rakei - Say Something (2:41) 
03 - Jordan Rakei - Mind’s Eye (4:06) 
04 - Jordan Rakei - Rolling into One (4:19) 
05 - Jordan Rakei - Oasis (4:21) 
06 - Jordan Rakei - Wildfire (4:09) 
07 - Jordan Rakei - Signs (3:00) 
08 - Jordan Rakei - You & Me (4:14) 
09 - Jordan Rakei - Moda (2:56) 
10 - Jordan Rakei - Speak (4:48) 
11 - Jordan Rakei - Mantra (5:49) 
12 - Jordan Rakei - Borderline (4:15) 
13 - Jordan Rakei - Signs (2:59) 
14 - Jordan Rakei - Always Coming (3:48) 
15 - Jordan Rakei - Speak (Live Piano Session) (4:38) 
16 - Jordan Rakei - Best Part (BBC Maida Vale Session) (3:23) 
17 - Jordan Rakei - Mind’s Eye (The Pool Session) (7:10) 
18 - Jordan Rakei - You & Me (KCRW Session) (4:30) 
19 - Jordan Rakei - Mad World (The Pool Session) (5:55) 
20 - Jordan Rakei - Mantra (The Pool Session) (6:08) 
21 - Jordan Rakei - Rolling into One (The Pool Session) (4:33)

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