Jordan Rakei, Origin, Album Review


Jordan Rakei
Origin
Album Review


Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Music

 My decision to listen to this album was a result of anticipated music being surprisingly scarce of late. However, I do love these kids of opportunities to discover new artists and potentially find a few hidden gems.

 The instantaneous comparison I would make to this album upon my first skim through the tracks would be that it's aesthetically similar to James Blake's Assume Form, one of the first great albums we received this year.

 However, there is definitely a more soulful and funky element to this album that what meets the eye. It goes without saying that the fact that it is June certainly helps further this a little (despite it not actually feeling an awful lot like summer so far), but this album has a similar level of ambience to Assume Form, but also has more of a feel-good vibe thanks to the more abundant instrumentation in some songs.

 The level of versatility on this album is also something to rave about, with a range of moves that are pretty close to being on Shape The Future by Nightmares On Wax levels of mixed.

 After the comparison to Assume Form I've made, the same should apply to just how excellent the vocals are. There is a great vocal range displayed in several tracks, and it gives the album a much more refined feel.

 My one dig at this album is that some of the tracks can come across as fairly repetitive, and this ultimately holds the album back from being phenomenal. However, it is far, far away from a bad album. It excels in atmosphere and has a wide variety of moods. This is simply a very rare instance where I notice the songwriting as something that could be improved.

 The tracks that aren't repetitive but are instead well conceived include "Rolling Into One", "Oasis", "Wildfire", "Signs", "You and Me" and "Moda". However, I think the albums defining moment comes at the very end with the beautifully progressive "Mantra". It combines Jordan Rakei's soulful vocals with a worldly level of progression. The instrumentation of this track also allows it to be an entirely indulgent and gorgeous listen, leaving you highly satisfied about the album as a whole.

 In conclusion, this is a warm and oceanic musical art-piece, and one that I hope will leave a lasting effect on me throughout the summer. It's fair to say that this is a fantastic third effort and a brilliant introduction to such a great artist.


Thank you for reading

 Booth Boy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Danny Brown, uknowhatimsayin?, Album Review

Image
Danny Brown uknowhatimsayin? Album Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music uknowhatimsayin? is the fifth studio album by experimental American rap artist Danny Brown, and the first since me made a big impact with his 2016 masterpiece Atrocity Exhibition , which truly pushed the boundaries of what rap could be with its heavily psychedelic and distorted sound, along with its intense and aggressive party energy. It seemed apparent from the get go that Danny Brown wanted to take this album in a different direction than its predecessor; towards a more accessible and cohesive sound, which was something I could certainly appreciate. Furthermore, this albums first teaser track "Dirty Laundry" displayed a masterfully subtle production, in which the slightest shift would be enough for listeners to pick up on and enjoy. Two more teaser tracks followed; the amazing "Best Life", which conveyed a soulful 90's rap aesthetic and has really grown
Read more

TOOL, Fear Inoculum, Album Review

Image
TOOL Fear Inoculum Album Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music Theres an age-old saying that each album of music is its own different experience, and this saying has never rung more truth when it comes to the discography of TOOL. One of the flag-bearers of progressive metal, TOOL have blown the minds of listeners ever since they formed almost 30 years ago in 1990. But its only recently, that the band have made a bit of a splash after a nearly 13 year hiatus since their 2006 album 10,000 Days .  With the return of TOOL in 2019, came the entirety of their discography finally being streamable, and with streamers finally recognising the band, it would also be the perfect time to release a new album. That album has finally come, in the form of their 5th full-length record; Fear Inoculum. Ever since I started getting into metal, I have had a funny relationship with the band. I first discovered the band thanks to Guitar Hero World Tour of all sour
Read more

Lil Nas X, 7 EP, EP Review

Image
Lil Nas X 7 EP EP Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music The year of 2019 has presented us with quite a few innovative underdogs, but arguably the most prevalent of them all, is Lil Nas X. Responsible for one of the biggest guilty pleasure track of the entire year so far, Nas X quickly rose to fame with the unique blend of country and trap in the form of "Old Town Road". Part of me wishes that this track wasn't so overplayed, as it truly stands as an incredibly catchy bop (especially the remix with Billy-Ray Cyrus). My assumption was that "Old Town Road" was all that Nas X felt like he needed to leave his mark on 2019. However, I was pleased to find this EP, dropped by Nas X this Friday. While there was an evident amount of excitement, I was also a tiny bit worried before listening to this EP, as I wasn't sure just how much Nas X was going to push the whole country-trap aesthetic; was it going to become a bit of a gim
Read more