EXTRAORDINARY (SOLAR FLARE VINYL) | VINYL RECORD (LP)

Gareth Donkin, True to it's name, Extraordinary, Gareth Donkin's second album widens the scale of his virtuosic soul-pop songcraft not just on a sonic level, but in a profoundly personal way. A step wiser and more confident, the London-based singer-songwriter and producer let's go of past constructs to celebrate the present tense with his most sophisticated, vast, and dazzling work to date, nodding to disco, R&B, and funk greats with playful charisma and modern sheen. He says, "Extraordinary is about taking ownership of your life, embracing new experiences and adventure." Donkin's 2023 breakthrough debut, Welcome Home, resonated from BBC Radio to Billboard ("a soul-savant"), and brought him to US stages for the first time, and opened the door to working with a few of his heroes, including a collaborative role on the latest de la Soul record. Yet the season was marked by setbacks and heartbreak. First, he reached for fantasy with the cathartic Suite Escape EP. Then, in a clearer headspace, he enlisted a dream ensemble to realize his next vision, including ESME, Kiefer, UHMEER, Shaan Ramaprasad, and Disclosure's Howard Lawrence. Donkin's made a name for himself as an old soul, one-man-band in the ilk of Prince and Stevie Wonder, often seen on socials assembling songs with mystifying ease. Like past work, Extraordinary captures this undeniable talent and charm. What sets the record apart is the expanse in which these virtues shine. "It just sounds bigger, more current," he adds. From unifying anthems to drama-shedding declarations, Donkin unlocks the kind of optimism that can only come from hard work on yourself.