Raleigh Ritchie may be better known for appearances in Game of Thrones and Adulthood, but this Bristol born, multi-talented man has had an album in the works for a long time. With six different producers it’s no surprise it was something of a late arrival.

With half of the tracks being re-releases it’s evident that the delay to the album has procured nothing but excitement from the underground scene. What you don’t expect however, is how well Ritchie’s sultry and soulful voice plays over both the gospel-esque nature of songs such as ‘The Last Romance’ and the way his voice fits perfectly on his track ‘Keep it Simple’ featuring Stormzy. Having Stormzy as the only featuring artist on his album speaks volumes for how well Ritchie’s voice can hold on its own and fit in to any genre within music of a similar origin.

The album, like the title suggests is something of a coming of age album for Ritchie and it’s no surprise he kept his older songs such as ‘Stronger than Ever’ and ‘Bloodsport’ on the album. It wasn’t a ploy to make the album longer, but a display of how far he has come since he signed for Columbia Records in 2013.  His title track encapsulates what it is to be growing up: “And though this body’s taller sometimes I feel smaller. Just a boy, you’re a man now boy”.  ‘Bloodsport ‘15’ was a particular favourite, and you’ll find yourself relating to his lyrics like there is no tomorrow. If anything this album is the most cathartic listening experience I’ve ever had; you can feel the sincerity in Ritchie’s voice and lyrics. There’s no doubt that Raleigh Ritchie has made a mark for himself and is setting up to be one of the next best British male artists.

Rianna Julian