Extraordinary

True to its 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, fresh off a feature on De La Soul’s new album, the London-based singer-songwriter and producer lets 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 SXSW for the first time. 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