Origin (Jordan Rakei album)

Origin
Studio album by Jordan Rakei
Released	14 June 2019 (2019-06-14)
Genre	Neo soul R&B
Length	43:32
Label	Ninja Tune
Jordan Rakei chronology
Wallflower (2017) Origin (2019) Small Moments (2020)
Singles from Origin
"Signs" Released: 19 February 2020 (2020-02-19)

Origin is the third studio album by New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter Jordan Rakei. It was released on 14 June 2019 on Ninja Tune, with a deluxe edition released on 13 March 2020. The album explores themes of digital dystopia and the impacts of technology on humanity.[1]

Background and release

Origin was released two years after Rakei's previous album Wallflower (2017).[2] Written over the course of two months, each track on the album tackles a different effect that technology can have on the human experience, including virtual and augmented reality, simulation theory, brain–computer interfaces, and the technological singularity.[2] Rakei cites dystopian television series Black Mirror and The Handmaid's Tale, as well as the Yuval Noah Harari book Sapiens, as thematic inspirations for the album.[3]

The deluxe version of Origin, released nine months after the album's initial release, includes a version of the track "Signs" featuring American rapper Common, whom Rakei met while on tour and cites as one of his "favourite rappers of all time".[4]

In January 2020, Rakei performed three songs from the album in a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR Music.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	75/100[6]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Clash	8/10[7]
Exclaim!	8/10[8]
The Line of Best Fit	7.5/10[9]
MusicOMH	[10]
PopMatters	9/10[11]

Origin was met with positive reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an aggregate score of 75 based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]

In a review for The Guardian, writer Tara Joshi called Origin a marked improvement over Rakei's first two studio albums, describing it as "full of a rich, cinematic musicality that feels poppier, sparklier and more breezily ambitious."[1] PopMatters reviewer Paul Carr similarly lauded the album, dubbing it a "neo-soul masterclass" that is a "vibrant and deftly blended mix of smooth jazz, classic soul, and cool funk with a sprinkling of 1990s R&B and hip-hop."[11] Reviewers have also praised Rakei's soulful vocals and lush, groovy, jazz-inflected production, as well as his lyrical commentary on the effects of technology on the human experience.[7][8][11]

Track listing

Origin track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mad World"	3:15
2.	"Say Something"	2:40
3.	"Mind's Eye"	4:06
4.	"Rolling Into One"	4:19
5.	"Oasis"	4:20
6.	"Wildfire"	4:08
7.	"Signs"	2:59
8.	"You & Me"	4:14
9.	"Moda"	2:56
10.	"Speak"	4:47
11.	"Mantra"	5:48
Total length:		43:32

Origin (Deluxe Edition) bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Borderline"	4:15
2.	"Signs" (featuring Common)	4:15
3.	"Always Coming"	3:47
4.	"Speak – Live Piano Session"	4:37
5.	"Best Part – BBC Maida Vale Session"	3:23
6.	"Mind's Eye – The Pool Session"	7:10
7.	"You & Me – KCRW Session"	4:30
8.	"Mad World – The Pool Session"	5:55
9.	"Mantra – The Pool Session"	6:07
10.	"Rolling Into One – The Pool Session"	4:33
Total length:		48:32

References

1. Joshi, Tara (June 15, 2019). "One to watch: Jordan Rakei". The Guardian. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
2. Vinti, Mike (June 18, 2019). "Interview: Jordan Rakei's Neo-Soul Is A Warning From The Future". Complex. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
3. Downs, Sarah (June 26, 2019). "Jordan Rakei Has A Message For The Future On His New Album". NZ Herald. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
4. Robles, Jonathan (February 19, 2020). "Jordan Rakei recruits Common for new version of 'Signs'". Variance Magazine. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
5. Mohamed, Suraya (January 13, 2020). "Jordan Rakei: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR Music. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
6. "Origin by Jordan Rakei". Metacritic. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
7. Finamore, Emma (June 12, 2019). "Jordan Rakei - Origin". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
8. Alger, Anna (June 11, 2019). "Jordan Rakei Origin". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
9. Gayler, Max (June 11, 2019). "In searching for humanity, Jordan Rakei has found his footing on Origin". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
10. Hogwood, Ben (June 14, 2019). "Jordan Rakei - Origin | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
11. Carr, Paul (June 19, 2019). "Jordan Rakei's 'Origin' Is a Neo-Soul Masterclass, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved November 10, 2023.