The British soul revivalist serves up a stirring new album after a four-year break.
Michael Kiwanuka/ Love & Hate
Despite being crowned the winner of the BBC Sound of 2012, British soul singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka is one of those immensely talented yet criminally underrated musicians. While the runners-up of that year's poll, which included Frank Ocean, Azealia Banks and Skrillex, have gone on to achieve high profiles, Kiwanuka has remained a low-key figure, largely unknown to mainstream audiences. It also doesn't help that he went on a four-year hiatus following the release of his debut album Home Again. This year, he finally broke the silence, re-emerging on the music scene with his long-awaited sophomore record, Love & Hate.
Kiwanuka's latest studio offering couldn't have arrived at a more apt time. Gospel-inspired lead single Black Man in a White World captures the social zeitgeist in which racial divides are spreading like wildfire. "I'm in love but I'm still sad/I've found peace but I'm not glad/All my nights and all my days/I've been trying the wrong way," he sings, reflecting upon his black identity and conflicting feelings over a track of claps and infectious guitar licks. The stark contrast between the less-than-hopeful message and the uplifting production here is so poignant that it almost makes you feel guilty for enjoying it.
Themes of juxtaposition and polarity continue on the title track, an eight-minute musing on the duality of human emotions. "Love and hate, how much more are we supposed to tolerate?" Kiwanuka sings, accompanied by the catchy vocal harmonies of his backup singers. A guitar solo chimes in, dominating the entirety of the track's final three minutes. This is where Kiwanuka subtly announces that he's no longer just a retro-soul guy -- that he's capable of far more than being regarded as a male version of Adele.
It's this sort of meandering bluesy, at times psychedelic, guitar work that adds conviction and emotional weight to tracks like Cold Little Heart, Rule the World and The Final Frame. Elsewhere, the piano-driven Father's Child poses a question of faith, while the jauntiness of One More Night recalls the sound of Amy Winehouse and vintage Motown. It's the least heavy cut of the lot, and with the lyrics dedicated to themes of patience and self-preservation ("I'll be trying/I'll be trying in the morning/I'll be trying, I'll be trying in the day").
Love & Hate is a work of a man trying to come to terms with his inner turmoil and personal struggles. Unafraid to lay bare his vulnerabilities, Kiwanuka sings from the depths of his weary heart, complemented by a production sound drenched in '70s soul with a sprinkling of modern rock (Credit duly goes to Danger Mouse, the producer behind an eclectic range of artists from Gorillaz to Beck, and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Adele). Anyone looking for a retro-soul album with a contemporary flair shouldn't miss out on this album.
THE PLAYLIST
Stoondio/ Dee Kwa (Better)
Bangkok-based musician Chotika "Toon" Kamwongpin makes introverted bedroom pop under the moniker Stoondio. Over the years, she's garnered quite the following thanks to the strength of her two studio releases Lost-Unfound and Plural. Today, Toon has shared Dee Kwa (Better), a new single taken from her forthcoming third LP Almost The Third Album. Musically, it doesn't stray too far from Toon's established sonic aesthetic that fuses a warm DIY sensibility with a wistful indie-pop sound. As for the lyrics, she sings about how sometimes it's better for lovers to go their separate ways than staying together and suffering ("I should do the right thing/I should give up and let go of you").
Aurora/ I Went Too Far
On her latest cut I Went Too Far, rising Norwegian songstress Aurora comes to an understanding that love is not about going to great lengths in order to prove your devotion to someone. "I went too far when I was begging on my knees/Begging for your arms, for you to hold around me," the 20-year-old singer-songwriter begins over a glacial synth-pop melody. "I went too far and kissed the ground beneath your feet/Waiting for your love, waiting for our eyes to meet." It's not so often that a pop song offers such a sobering perspective on relationships.
The Avalanches/ Subways
Subways marks the third single from The Avalanches' long-anticipated comeback album, Wildflower. Released in succession to Frankie Sinatra and Colours, the track finds the Australian electronic outfit sampling the vocals from 12-year-old singer Chandra's 1980 single of the same name, as well as Graham Bonnet's cover of the Bee Gees' Warm Ride. The result is a gorgeous, slightly whimsical, sun-drenched jam that recalls the best works of Pnau and Empire of the Sun.
Crystal Castles/ Char
While some of you might still be reeling over the departure of Crystal Castles' fierce frontwoman Alice Glass, it's comforting to know that the band's other half Ethan Kath is still cranking out new music for us to revel in. With Glass replacement Edith Frances now brought into the fold, Crystal Castles have begun their return by sharing two songs from their forthcoming fourth album Amnesty (I). Here, we're treated to a new single called Char, a vintage synth-fuelled number bursting at the seams with raw energy and emotion.
Local Natives/ Fountain of Youth
In a social media post, indie-rock quintet Local Natives shared their new song, Fountain of Youth, accompanied by a message: "In a time of cynicism dressed as realism…I believe there is reason to be hopeful, optimistic and idealistic. Socially, politically and personally, we've felt many defeats, but have come back to the realisation that this is our world to make." It's a fitting introduction to this uplifting song which celebrates youthful freedom. "We can do whatever we want/We can say whatever we need," goes the anthemic chorus, guaranteed to inspire a singalong.
