Michael Kiwanuka first caught my attention with his 2012 debut album, Home Again. His music was rooted in classic soul and R&B, and his voice naturally drew comparisons to artists like Bill Withers. Four years later, Kiwanuka returned with Love & Hate, an album that expands well beyond the sound of his debut.
Produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, Love & Hate brings rock, psychedelia, gospel, and orchestral arrangements into Kiwanuka’s soul and R&B foundation. The album opens with the nearly ten minute “Cold Little Heart,” which builds slowly through an extended instrumental opening before Kiwanuka’s vocals finally enter. It’s a pretty good introduction to an album that takes its time and gives the songs plenty of room to develop.
Kiwanuka also gets more personal on Love & Hate, writing about self doubt, identity, race, and his own struggles with confidence. Songs like “Black Man in a White World” and “Love & Hate” address those subjects directly, while the arrangements throughout the album are filled with strings, guitars, keyboards, backing vocals, and percussion.
Love & Hate is a big step forward from Home Again. I loved Kiwanuka’s debut, but this album shows just how much more there is to his music. It’s one of those albums that seems to get better every time I listen to it. This is a fantastic record.
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