7/10

Throughout his illustrious tenure to date, the sound of Jordan Rakei can largely be summed up with two major elements; his euphoric approach to production, and his captivating vocals. Both of those distinctive features have proven extremely impactful over the years, garnering the artist with huge praise and acclaim in recent years. And after seeing out his 2021 with the immersive 'What We Call Life', he now returns once again with his fifth studio album 'The Loop', a record that continues that effervescent ascent throughout.

Moving a little further away from his more atmospheric intentions this time around, 'The Loop' finds him in a more renewed spirit, ready to cultivate a more uplifting direction for himself. Doubling down on the soul and gospel influences that have littered his catalogue so far, his latest offering is a rich and welcoming return to form that looks to build upon the captivating aura he has always looked to create within his music.

While it may not have the same strong and instant appeal that much of his earlier material managed, 'The Loop' is still a confident return from an artist always giving us something alluring in which to enjoy. Moving with a subtle elegance throughout, Jordan Rakei dazzles on this passionate new release.