Jordan Rakei kicks off UK tour (including two shows at RAH)
KICKS OFF UK TOUR INCLUDING TWO SHOWS AT
LONDON’S ROYAL ALBERT HALL
NEW STUDIO ALBUM THE LOOP OUT NOW VIA DECCA
Praise for The Loop…
“The Loop is a bombastic soul explosion with songs that jump from a rallying political cry, to grief over a friendship breakdown, to a sentimental ode to his young son, to whom he dedicates the album.” – GQ
“What has spawned from this approach of raw expressionism is Rakei’s grandest record to date. It’s his most cinematic, most grandiose – his most ambitious.” – Wonderland
“A master producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Rakei’s music is revered for its iconic DIY sound. But in his fifth album he dares to step out in a new direction.” – CLASH
“Unsurprisingly polished and musically diverse, The Loop is an uninhibited soul-bearing piece of work from an artist who can devastate and seduce you in a single breath.” –NARC 4/5
Revered multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Jordan Rakei kicks off his UK tour in Manchester later this week, before heading to Bristol and London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall for two career-defining sold-out shows on October 1st and 4th, exclusively featuring an extended band and all-new production. So far, the prolific live performer has played a string of sets all over Europe in celebration of his recent fifth studio album, The Loop, which was released earlier this year via Decca (and Verve Forecast in the US).
The tour lands off the back of a host of exciting recent activity; Jordan played Jools Holland for the first time earlier this summer, performed on Glastonbury’s West Holts stage during the coveted sunset slot on Sunday eve, curated his very own BBC Prom in July alongside the Royal Northern Sinfonia orchestra, and was also recently announced as the inaugural ‘Artist In Residence’ at London’s iconic Abbey Road Studios. This huge accolade means Jordan will have access to the entire building, including the fabled Studios Two and Three and the treasure trove of legendary Abbey Road gear, microphones and instruments. In addition to this, Jordan will have a dedicated writing room at his disposal. In the role, Jordan will continue to foster his career-long spirit of collaboration by participating in some of Abbey Road’s outreach programmes and content series which are designed to inform and inspire the next generation of creative talent.
The Loop marked a new chapter in Jordan’s career that coincided with a number of profound changes in his personal life. It’s an extraordinary record, not least for its sheer, breathtaking ambition whilst retaining the experimental, off-kilter vibe he’s synonymous with. Containing singles ‘Flowers’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Learning’, ‘Friend or Foe’ and ‘Trust’, the album showcased his typically bold production style alongside spectacular orchestral arrangements and haunting choirs, hypnotic beats and an Odyssean-style narrative that charts a course through times of darkness and positivity.
Recorded at RAK Studios, self-produced and mixed by Ben Baptie, fans and critics will note how on The Loop, Rakei has stepped away from the DIY sound he was once known for (and still loves). He grew up listening to artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield and D’Angelo and having returned to immersing himself with their music recently, he knew he didn’t want this new album to sound like it was made in a bedroom. Inspired by a Bill Withers documentary, in which his hero ignored the contempt of his peers for daring to reach higher, Rakei set about assembling a crack team of musicians to fulfill his own crystal clear ambitions for this album.
“I wanted to get back to why I fell in love with music in the first place.” Jordan explains. “I found myself listening to my favourite artists again and I wanted to make an ambitious record that was centered around my vocal. I had a no-judgement approach when it came to production and songwriting choices.
The album title refers to that cycle of being a child, and then having children, and the relationship with the inner child. We move forward in life on a loop that never ends and I wanted to explore that vulnerability in my lyrics.”
(The Loop Album Artwork)
1. Flowers
2. Freedom
3. Friend or Foe
4. Royal
5. Trust
6. State of Mind
7. Hopes and Dreams
8. Learning
9. Cages
10. Forgive
11. Everything Everything
12. Miracle
13. A Little Life
The Loop Live Tour 2024
26 Sep – Manchester, Albert Hall
27 Sep – Bristol, Beacon
01 Oct – London, Royal Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)
04 Oct – London, Royal Albert Hall
01 Nov – Washington DC, Lincoln Theatre
02 Nov – New York, Warsaw (SOLD OUT)
03 Nov – Boston, Brighton Music Hall
05 Nov – Montreal, Beanfield Theatre
06 Nov – Toronto, The Phoenix
09 Nov – Los Angeles, Fonda Theatre
10 Nov – San Francisco, The Fillmore
23 Nov – Toyosu PIT, Tokyo, Japan
25 Nov – Meta Valley, Osaka, Japan
29 Nov – Kirstenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
30 Nov – Marks Park, Emmarentia, Johannesburg, South Africa