Every time Jordan Rakei comes to town, his show sells out. You couldn’t move for fans eager to see him perform material from his new album Wallflower for the first time in Brighton – an album which has seen the 25-year-old singer push beyond the narrow classification of ‘soul singer’.

On keys at the head of a six-piece band, Rakei dived into his new tracks. Early in the set he showcased the varied sounds of the new album: the twisted soul of ‘Goodbyes’, its grumbling bassline set against whispering harmonies; ‘Nerve’, with its funk undertones that give way to the frank and soft chorus; and the meandering flow of ‘Chemical Coincidence’, led by a prog bassline and explorative vocal melody.

For the title track ‘Wallflower’ he switched to acoustic guitar and stepped out from behind the keys for a solo verse. Written about social anxiety, it’s an epic and wandering narrative which exemplifies the deeply personal – and relatable – nature of the album which makes it such a pleasure to hear. For this song he used his band to full effect, edging around the climax until they came in with huge impact.

Those who came to see the new album performed were not disappointed, but he didn’t neglect his earlier material, visiting old favourites like ‘The Light’ and ‘Alright’. For these (and others) he had expanded sections for the live show, giving the band space to sit in the groove, and himself room to experiment with his voice as an instrument – whether scatting to his keys or playing with echo effects, he pushed his voice further than most singers’ imaginations allow.

The jazz-dub fusion of ‘Midnight Mischief’, with its trudging vocals and heavy soul beat, and the Latin influences of ‘Talk To Me’, were a testament to the diverse influences he brought together for his first album. However, they stood out against his newer material as having more clear-cut roots – his new songs are more nuanced, and borrow less obviously from other genres, as Rakei settles into his own style.

‘Sorceress’, one of the strongest from Wallflower, was his encore – and he belted it out, leaving the crowd in no doubt that as a vocalist, as well as a songwriter, he could go all the way. Live, it verged on the anthemic, ending with all the crowd singing along after the band had faded to silence.

Perhaps most striking was the consistency of his performance – most acts find you waiting for that one big hit, but Rakei jumped from climax to climax with almost no in-betweens. On reflection, given the quality of his songwriting over his two albums, it’s no surprise. It was, however, a surprise to find that his instincts as a performer allowed him to adapt such well-crafted album tracks so that his live show was substantially different – but just as rewarding.

Ben Noble

Website: jordanrakei.com
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