One of Jordan’s final Abbey Road Lock-In sessions as our Artist in Residence gave us Monsters, featuring the incredible Nubya Garcia - Mercury Prize–nominated saxophonist and composer - recorded in Studio Three last year.

The series is designed to give artists the freedom to step into the unknown, create in the moment and offer audiences a unique lens into the collaborative and creative process. Monsters is part of Jordan’s forthcoming EP Between Us, which saw him collaborating with an incredible range of musicians across the studio.

“I first met Nubya Garcia on a train down to Boardmasters Festival in 2016. We really connected straight away. She was an up-and-coming jazz musician, and I’d just moved to London and was finding my feet as an artist. It felt like we were both at the beginning of something.

Over the years, I’ve watched her career grow from afar. We’d bump into each other at festivals around the UK and Europe and always joke, “Come on, we need to make something together.” It became one of those things we kept saying we’d do.

During my residency at Abbey Road Studios, we finally made it happen. We had Studio Three for a day with an incredible group of musicians and absolutely no plan. We went in completely open minded and just let our worlds collide. There were spiritual elements, jazz textures, and a real sense of freedom in the room. For me, it even felt like a bit of a throwback to some of my earlier sounds, which was really fun.

She’s so open creatively. She was up for singing, experimenting melodically, and just exploring wherever the session wanted to go. She’s an incredible talent, and I’m so happy we finally made it work after all these years.” - Jordan Rakei

"We had such a great time in the studio, recording at Abbey Road is always a special experience. There’s just something about the history and energy of that place that brings a different something.

This track came together in such an organic way; nothing felt forced. Over a few takes we kept developing it, and every idea just seemed to flow naturally. Collaborating with Jordan was a real highlight too - we were on the same wavelength creatively from the start, and that made the whole process even more exciting.

We’ve been bumping into each other for years, saying we should make something. I’ve been a fan of his music from his first album - so I’m so glad that we created something together.” - Nubya Garcia

"Our Abbey Road Lock-in sessions are about creative exploration, collaboration and a spirit of openness - with the challenge being to write something new in a day. And this is typical of many of Jordan’s sessions during his time as our first Artist In Residence.

What struck us most was the ease in which Nubya and Jordan worked together and how quickly the song came to life. Monsters’ is the first taste from an exceptional set of new songs that perfectly capture Jordan’s craft and vision, demonstrating his increasing sense of artistic adventure." - Mark Robertson, Director of Marketing & Creative at Abbey Road

Stream it here.