When Jordan Rakei says something, you listen

MANILA, Philippines — Whenever Jordan Rakei says something, you listen. And a handful did so – dutifully – when the rare talent returned to the Philippines for Karpos’ Mix Live 6 in Quezon City on September 1.

It can’t be helped. Rakei’s words are irresistible. If anything, they’re draped with good music — one that blends genres but remains grounded on technique.

The Kiwi multi-instrumentalist doubled down on his self reflection and social commentary that Sunday night, kicking off his set with the thought-provoking “Mad World,” off his third album.

“Are you awake? Are you living?” he asked the crowd during the curtain-raiser — a query faithful to the themes explored in his latest work, Origin.

“I wanted to talk about how technology is going to affect me going forward an also humanity as a whole. On that one flight,” he said of his creative process on Origin in a podcast interview with Radd Nadesnanthan in July.

The 27-year-old London-based Rakei changed gears playfully during the session at Vertis Tent, turning to the optimistic “You & Me” before slowing down with “Tawo,” from his debut album Cloak.

“Nerve,” perhaps the most anthemic song from his Wallflower compilation, quickly got the crowd fidgety and bobby. Rakei sustained that energy by playing an equally disarming “Sorceress.”

Rakei then moved to the slow burn of the jazzy “Midnight Mischief,” then fanned its flames with “Wildfire,” as if issuing a shout-out to his fellow self-made London artists Tom Misch, Barney Artist and Alfa Mist, among others.

Sharing stage with the Kiwi artist was another talented artist in Unique, who performed IV of Spades hits “Mundo” and his own “Midnight Sky” in stripped-back fashion.

Clad in white, Unique was later joined by a full band who helped him play “Lamang Lupa” before reverting to “Sino,” which he fittingly played solo.

For the second half of his performance, Rakei juggled with lesser-known pieces from his older albums—including a gem from his 2014 EP, Add the Baseline.

He also whipped up the groovy nod to the ‘90s in “The Light,” and the chameleonic “Blame it on the Youth,” before playing the funky “Rolling into One.”

Rakei, who made remarkable strides in terms of melody and musicianship with Origin, gave the crowd parting gifts through album standouts “Eye to Eye” and “Mind’s Eye” in the encore.

Interestingly, the two songs arguably typify the lynchpin of his work thus far: his vocal range coupled with his skillful technique — both undeniably on full display that night.

Rakei, if anything, was showing us the doorway to his soul. – Rappler.com