Michael Kiwanuka
"Love & Hate"
(Interscope (ASTERISK)(ASTERISK)(ASTERISK){)
Michael Kiwanuka's 2012 "Home Again" was well-received, with the Ugandan British singer's earning his share of young Bill Withers and Van Morrison comparisons. But Kiwanuka was also underestimated, due in part to his label association with strummy acts like Mumford & Sons and the insinuation that, because his evocative soul recalls voices from an earlier time, this somehow made him an inherently conservative artist. That idea is exploded on "Love & Hate," a 10-song collection that kicks off with the 10-minute, 10-second "Cold Little Heart," which takes its sweet time in building to a sweepingly cinematic conclusion. Produced by Danger Mouse, the album tilts toward psychedelia, and its expertly arranged, patient songs are suffused with romantic despair. The album also speaks eloquently to times of struggle and strife with the title cut, which asks, "How much more can we tolerate?" and the effectively understated and straight-to-the-point "Black Man in a White World."
_Dan DeLuca
