Jordan Rakei shares new single ‘Friend or Foe’, new album ‘The Loop’ out May 10th

‘Friend or Foe’ is the latest single to be taken from Jordan Rakei’s forthcoming new album The Loop, due for release on May 10 via Decca (and Verve Forecast in the US). This follows previous singles  ‘Flowers’, lead single ‘Freedom’ and most recently, ‘Learning’.

‘Friend or Foe’ is a wondrous piece of soul music that is made even more impactful with Jordan’s powerfully rich vocals truly hitting home the song’s message. The instrumentation is big and bold, a widescreen wall of sound that somehow also retains deep emotion and intimacy – something that only the purest of soul music can muster. Jordan explains, “In Friend or Foe, I explore being content with oneself and understanding the relationships that come and go. It’s also a song about trying to find peace with those who have passed or left us. I want the instrumental to be triumphant and ambitious, departing from the throwback sound of Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, and incorporating elements of orchestra, brass, and choir. This track represents one of my most ambitious tunes on the album”

This latest release comes off the back of a host of exciting recent announcements in the Jordan camp as he moves closer to his fifth studio album release. First up was his 21-date UK & EU tour in support of the album, which lands this autumn and includes 2 x Royal Albert Hall shows in October. Next he announced a run of instores for the week of album release in May, with Rough Trade East selling out in minutes and he also appeared on the first Glastonbury line-up reveal.  And just last week, Jordan was 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.

Support for Jordan’s magnificent new music has been coming in thick and fast from all corners with BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo describing ‘FREEDOM’ as “easily one of my favourite songs of the year” before choosing Jordan to perform her final Maida Vale session last week. Freedom was A-listed at 6 Music and was Radio 1’s Tune of the Week, with further support from Radio 2 and Radio X playlist. Plays and support across all stations on releases to date continue to help build the excitement for the upcoming full album.

The Loop marks a new chapter in Jordan’s career that coincides 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. Along with his typically bold production style are 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 instore shows:

10 May – Rough Trade Bristol (SOLD OUT)
11 May – Banquet St Johns Church, Kingston (SOLD OUT)
12 May – Rough Trade Nottingham (SOLD OUT)
13 May- Rough Trade Liverpool
14 May – Resident Brighton (SOLD OUT, SECOND SHOW ADDED)
15 May – Rough Trade East, London (BOTH SHOWS SOLD OUT

04 May – Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham
25 May – Cappadox Festival, Cappadocia
26 – 30 Jun – Glastonbury, Pilton
06 Jul – Love Supreme Festival, Lewes
07 Jul – JaZZx, Timișoara
09 Jul – Palladium Riga, Riga
10 Jul – Vasaros Terasa, Vilnius
11 Jul – Bilbao BBK Live, Bilbao
02 Aug – Salt Wave Festival, Jastarnia
08 Aug – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
03 Sep – Porto, M.Ou.Co
04 Sep – Madrid, Lula
05 Sep – Barcelona, Razzmatazz 2
07 Sep – Milan, Magazzini Generali
08 Sep  – Munich, Muffathalle
10 Sep – Vienna, Arena
11 Sep – Berlin, Huxley
12 Sep – Hamburg, Ballsaal
14 Sep – Stockholm, Kägelbanan
15 Sep – Oslo, Rockefeller
16 Sep – Copenhagen, Vega
18 Sep – Amsterdam, Paradiso
19 Sep – Amsterdam, Paradiso (SOLD OUT)
20 Sep – Amsterdam, Paradiso (SOLD OUT)
22 Sep – Brussels, AB
23 Sep – Cologne, Stadthalle
24 Sep – Paris, Élysée Monmartre
26 Sep – Manchester, Albert Hall
27 Sep – Bristol,  Beacon
01 Oct  – London, Royal Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)
04 Oct – London, Royal Albert Hall