KIWANUKA

good soul album i like it

Produced by inflo and danger mouse so very high expectations. This lived up to expectations ngl

Most modern album thus far for me and that’s definitely evident musically but I’m happy to say it was quite enjoyable in parts. It gave me soulful frank ocean vibes with Michael wrestling with anxiety and love and change. It’s emotional and intense at times while attempting soothing undertones to provide a counterbalance. Piano joint is a beautiful song. Made me happy that a modern album added to this list wasn’t complete garbo

This was fun and something I’d have never listened to on my own. A surprising variety of genres across the album and an all round good listen!

One of my favorite surprises on this list so far! Michael Kiwanuka blends multiple genres and uses beautiful lyrics and captivating instrumentation to touch on topics including perseverance, love, and social injustice. Totally worthy of its Grammy nomination for best rock album.

Soulful but rocky in places too. Enjoyed this.

KIWANUKA self titled is soulful moody and beautiful . A few of these songs are headed for my R&B playlist I had heard love and hate before and think I still like it better but I’m sure there some familiarity bias there and I think this will age well

Dang, this is good.

Los primeros dos temas son BUENISIMOS: super alegres en un buen sentido y no es exagerado I ve been dazed muy catchy - INCREIBLE OUTRO Piano joint la melodia es otro nivel, esa acapella full psicodelica con el sonido de ambiente uf Las siguientes cortando en hero son GOD LIVING IN DENIAL 10/10 Hero se me hizo un toque repetitivo salvo el bridge que es god Hard to say goodbye con ese gospel angelical es hermoso GENERAL: MUY SOLIDO, GOOD VIBES ONLY CON MUCHO GOSPEL Y SOUL QUE ES UNA CARICIA AL ALMA

Really good tunes and feelings, thx!

I struggled to hear the music over the orgasms of 6music listeners. Music for boring white middle aged men by a young, exciting black man. A guardianistas dream and, in spite of myself, I too am not immune to these charms.

Nice

incredible voice and musically interesting. the bangers were my favorites, a few too many ballads for my taste but man is he good!

Pretty good.

This is an excellent album -- most of the songs had a great groove -- and we both want to listen to it again.

Great listen. A modern classic.

You Ain’t The Problem // I’ve Been Dazed // Piano Joint // Hero // Hard To Say Goodbye //

Excelente. Sentimental, melancólico , bem produzido,

I liked this album a lot, warm, well made soul/pop/singer-songwriter songs. Nothing spectacular, but very pleasant. I'll give it a 4 which is maybe a bit generous, but the bar for popular music is pretty low these days, in my opinion, so he deserves it. And it's authentic. Tick.

Suprised by the sound here I was impressed. I think the local alt radio used to play a few of these but damn it just hit. 8/10

Grown-up Soul for the 21st century.

Beautiful. Al Green crossed with James Taylor. Something to explore further.

Not his best but still good

a really cool album

I've been listening to this one since it came out, glad to see so many people are enjoying discovering it through this generator! I think Kiwanuka is super talented, and the songwriting and playing on this are great. However there's something about the production (I think maybe the mixing) that has always bothered me. I find it a bit cold or something, which makes it harder for me to connect emotionally to it. It does sound a lot better on vihyl though I think - maybe that's what they were going for.

8/10. Great. Started off better than it ended I think but overall great.

Fun stuff I found myself singing along to songs id never heard before. But nothing really grabbed me or made me sit up and pay attention. Still amazed I never heard of this guy.

Great album. Love Mike. He’s got a great voice. Good songwriting, good production, good lyrics, just *chefs kiss* mwah. Only wish there was a bit more breakup. Songs started to blend together a bit towards the end. Really enjoyed the whole thing, though. 4/5

I like Michael Kiwanuka’s voice and guitar in a lot of these. You Ain’t the Problem, I’ve Been Dazed, and Hero were the standouts to me. 4 stars.

I really like this, it's so smooth.

Fav song: Piano Joint This album reminds me of so many things I love about alternative music - i'm always hearing little bits of Air, Beck, Leon Bridges... really great album. Amazing voice, great lyrics and fantastic production value.

I had never heard this artist before but this is the first new music from this list I have enjoyed. I was pleasantly surprised and will listen again.

Ever since Home Again was released in 2011, I’ve been a Michael Kiwanuk fan and really he hasn’t let me down yet. This is another artist who has some of their best work alongside producer Inflo. This album also features co producer Dangermouse, you know Dangermouse I’m sure. Inflo has also produced for Little Simz, who we reviewed not too long ago. He also produced for Cleo Sol and is also the leader of the collective Sault. All of these projects are worth your time if you enjoy this album. Also, for a similar sound from contemporary artists, check out Black Pumas, Ray LaMontagne and Leon Bridges. 4.5

Ah, I really liked his Home Again album, but haven't heard anything after that. I'm excited to listen. This album definitely has a different vibe than his first one, with some psychedelic rock sounds, like Tame Impala-ish, and some Beck vibes. I'm here for it. Tracks 4 and 5 bring that traditional Kiwanuka vibe. Solid album here, with the only knock being the bad transitions between songs. It didn't flow as I would've liked. Hard to Say Goodbye was my favorite, and it's hard to say goodbye to this album. I see he has a new one out, so I'll cue it up. 4.

Oh god, yes. More please. This is more modern music I can get into. No sparse keyboard melody lines and dance-along drum machines. Actual singing and music and instrumentation and chords. AND a positive message. We get the best of modern fidelity with a nod to past stylings, all the while incorporating new sounds. There is a great amalgamation of this mix of past and present where some sampled instruments are programmed along with live instruments and loops. It is retro but new, but not in the sense of just arranging new songs to sound retro, like Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars' great "Leave The Door Open", or Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. This isn't new reaching backward, but old reaching forward. There is an authenticity here beyond just a cash-grab homage, steeped in bona fide genuineness and sincerity. There's also a bit of TV On The Radio here, but less bombastic and more groove and laid back, at times channeling Seal. A more lush and spiritual Lenny Kravitz, with some occasional Hendrix psychedelic guitar. Just listen how cinematic "Final Days" is! So happy to hear this stark contrast in relation to the direction that music has been going. It's not mind-blowing, but it is refreshing. I hope more young artists are inspired to continue to carry the torch.

An intriguing mix of retro and modern vibes. Soulful, heartfelt, atmospheric. I feel like I've been taken on a journey.

I was pleasantly surprised by this. Looking at the cover, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I ended up enjoying it. I like the retro sound. I'll definitely be checking out more.

Nice mix of both slow and melodic songs and high energy. Feels a bit messy as a first impression.

A very nice album of modern soul with a nice reverence for the classic soul of the 70s. A nice example being the song Living in Denial. The album sounds nostalgic without being stuck in a time warp. Has an intimacy that draws one in and rewards more than casual listens; Hero, Rolling, I've been Dazed. Kiwanuka also incorporates elements of psychedelia and folk that give his music an intensity and variety that makes it very engaging and displays his broad talent. A nice discovery that makes me want to delve deeper. 4 stars

Nice Rock/Neo-Soul album.

Flames

I’m very familiar with Michael Kiwanuka’s work. Timeless production evoking 60’s soul with a 21st century Indy aesthetic and beautifully crafted songs not to mention great delivery by a musical all-rounder. Standouts are : Black man in a white world, Hero, You ain’t the problem. He’s also a great ive performer. Check out his other albums

very good.

Not fully sure why this is on the list, but definitely a pleasant surprise. Kiwanuka has a great voice, instruments are awesome, and production by Danger Mouse was top. Easy 4*

Huge surprise, very refreshing!

Nice neo soul and string selection

dig it. not always my speed of storytelling lyric front tunes, but the aesthetic is great and got some fuzz

Soulful, layered production and lyrically strong. Sounds unique and you can hear influences from different genres. Have a feeling this will be a grower but great on the first listen.

Massive FOUR. His second album is his best for me.

I didn’t know much by this artist outside of the Big Little Lies theme song, but this was a really enjoyable listen. I will definitely check out some more of his stuff.

Soulful unveiling Self inspired persona piece Snuggled in warm tones

This is probably one of very few albums on this site that I have known since its release. It’s just a very solid record, simple yet effective songwriting and production and a really convincing old sound.

Never heard this whole album, really good

I actually really enjoyed this album. Some great melodies, rhythms and lyrics. Love the overall soulful vibe. Michael's vocals are great too. Definitely found an artist to return to.

I really want to give this album another listen on a day when there isn’t a snow storm coming in and I don’t have a shift at work and assignments due at 11 and two tests coming up and my AirPods are working so I don’t have to listen to it over my phone speakers. It sounded really promising, and although I can’t say I’m usually a ‘soul’ fanatic, I think this is a good album, interesting to me that I’ve never heard of it and it’s the first one to be recommended to me that’s of my time. I don’t know if this album is changing the course of history but I liked it and I think it’s well made. Really like those last 2 tracks. 4 stars, right on the money.

"Kiwanuka" is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician Michael Kiwanuka. Indie rock, folk rock and soul are the Wiki-listed genres for his music and they all apply. The album was produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo who also contributed musically. The album had universal acclaim and won the 2020 Mercury Prize for the best album released in the UK and Ireland. Commercially, it #2 in the UK and #142 on the US Billboard 200. A Carribean-like percussion and guitar and a party-like noise open "You Ain't the Problem." The band kicks in with a fuzz guitar. Kiwanuka's soulful voice joins in a song about just being who you are. "Rolling" also has a fuzz guitar and sounds very retro 60's. This is the one song that I had heard before. It's about going at your own pace. "Piano Joint (This Kind of Love)" is best described as a piano ballad with drums. Kiwanuka's vocals have a melancholy tone. Stings are added building the drama. Kiwanuka was aiming for a 70's Gil Scott-Heron vibe and he pretty much gets it. Guitars play a more major role in "Hero." A strumming, a wah-wah and a fuzz guitar are all used in spots. Strings and soulful female backing vocals. He questions himself as to whether he'll be a hero. The album ends on a high note with "Light." Soft drums, strings, acoustic guitar and percussion. Kiwanuka singing and female backing vocals answering. He's seeing light at the end of his musical journey. An interesting female vocal fade for the outro. This is a soulful and very introspective album. Kiwanuka lyrics are introspective and personal without being specific if that makes sense. I hear 60's guitar, 70's soul, 70's soundtrack and pop ballads in the music. Kiwanuka says he was thinking of Gil Scott-Heron, Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes while writing this music and you can hear that. There's nice production with most of the songs have orchestration. Kiwanuka is also an exceptional guitarist. This was a very decent album that most will find something to like.

WOW! Amazing complexity and depth. Solid 4.

Good singer. Good songs.

Simply beautiful.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but wow, I was pleasantly surprised! Powerful lyrics, mellow jams, I liked it all the way through.

Good one

Wow, Love this voice. What a groove, I need more!

New to me, and terrific.

Very nice.

I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would.

Not my kind of music but still I was delighted. Defenitely worth a replay. Honorable mention to "Living in Denial".

This album was such a smooth and warm trip. Kiwanuka’s voice beckons the 60s and 79s crooning largely lost in the modern area. Fantastic album. 4.5/5

Great artist and glad to have found out about them.

I feel like what this list chose to represent the last 5ish years of music has been pretty lackluster. However, this album seems to be the exception. Very artsy, great instrumentation, and no 2 songs sound alike. I went in with low expectations, but came out pretty surprised. It's really hard to describe this album it's kind of retro through back soul and jazz, but also kind of shoegaze and rock, and just a hint of electronic and dance. High 4.

I was fond of this one already. Looking forward to seeing how his career continues to develop.

This was a pleasant surprise. I'd never heard of this guy and this album was fantastic.

Zero expectations going in. Never heard of the dude. I'm a fan. One of those albums that's the whole reason I started this account. To hear something new.

Listened to the album before, but not “deeply”

This album had smooth vocals and included dreamy piano melodies that I enjoyed a lot. I had to listen a few times to really get the feel of it but I think I’ll be listening to this one again.

Just like you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you shouldn't judge an album by its release date. When I saw that it was a 2019 album I thought "fuck me, another boring album" but I was completely wrong. The sound has great soul influences wrapped in a progressive and impactful atmosphere that matches the deep and intense lyrics. The album sounds like Bill Withers had collaborated with Pink Floyd or something...

What nourishes like gospel soul? ✅✅✅ You Ain't The Problem ✅✅✅ Hero

3.75

This is an extremely solid project and I love the style. There's elements of classic rock, reggae, psyche rock, and tons of soul and it all blends together to sound new and exciting. Every track on here is really solid and but special shoutouts to You aint the problem, Piano Joint, Hero, and Final Days. This is a surprise inclusion for me since I didn't hear much of it when it was released. Glad to hear it now.

So so good. Love some funk. his more upbeat stuff is what I'm more a fan of but still fire

Definitely not something I'd usually reach for, but overall pretty strong songwriting and nice production.

Excellent album that is on my spotify favorites. I have heard it many times and I really like it. It's different but still has a nice chill groove to it. I'm sure I will be listening to this one many more times. It's great to listen to at work or relaxing at home.

No idea what genre this is but I like it! A 4/5 bc I like it but it didn’t make me go crazy go stupid. I’ve been dazed sounds like a beautiful sunrise. Or like when the sun makes a visible ray thru a hole in the clouds. Kind of later Edward sharpe at some points. Feels like something a cool cousin would have on at their house when u come over. I feel like this album did CPR on some of my brain cells.

have you ever heard a song good as the album You Ain't The Problem I think that this album is good because of the singer and instruments I think the instruments sound good because they make a pretty rad sound and I think the singer is good because his voice fits the instruments good I think this album was good and I recommend listening to it.

Do you like upbeat music? If so, then this is the album for you! This album is upbeat because the background music from the instruments are really fast, and his voice is also fast and loud. So, that is why I recommend that you listen to this album.

the lyrics are amazing the instrumentals are good. i highly recommend. 8/10

Nice, calm, pretty, well made. Relaxing and easy to enjoy. Gets better with repeat listening. Nothing to complain about. 4/5

I liked it. Did not love it, but it was nice.

Heard a lot about this guy but wasn't sure what he sounded like. A lot to like about this record - his voice is really smooth and lovely to listen to, some nice tones throughout and whilst there were a few bits I wasn't into, overall I enjoyed it and would probably listen again.

Hope and melancholy go hand in hand. Actually comforting to listen to.

Loved it. Must come back to it again soon

Great. Similar to that one blue Childish Gambino album

Favourite tracks: hero; rolling; you ain't the problem

Har hatt lyst til å sjekke han ut lenge. Svært solid album, bra instrumentals og vokaler. Synes han høres skikkelig ut som Damon Albarn fra Gorillaz og Blur. Passer nok enda bedre i sommertider, og gir litt nostalgisk fifa vibes. I've been dazed er standout for meg, men alle sangene er solide. Hele albumet flyter egentlig veldig bra.

3.5 stars - pretty good but some of the songs don't do a lot for me. Some of them while sounding cool didn't have much of an impact. Hero is damn good though

A 2019 release and a new one for me, and a very pleasant surprise. Michael Kiwanuka has a rich, soulful voice that easily stands comparison with any of the greats and the music is a timeless mix of 70s themed soul, funk, jazz and contemporary elements. It’s rare with these albums that I listen to them more than once, but this is definitely one that will be on repeat for a while. The Dolby Atmos mix on Apple Music is another plus- this really does sound lush

I knew Kiwanuka for his earlier work (Home Again) which was much more folk/indie rock. This album is much more diverse from a musical point of view, alternating between soul, jazz, indie rock, a vintage feeling with a modern sound (probably due to the production of Danger Mouse). All in all it's a pleasant and solid album.

I got this one over a year ago and I've actually listened to it a ton since. I really like Michael Kiwankua. I listen to him almost weekly now. Here is what I wrote then: "Loved it. I really like the singer-song writer influenced, fused with R&B. The instrumentals for the intros built up and flowed nicely into each song. This is a really unique record for 2019. Super stoked on this one."

Lush.

very chill, background music, neat

Really beautiful album, I loved the quality of his voice. So gut wrenchingly beautiful.

Really nice and vibey music.

Beautiful, uplifting Neo Soul record with such heartfelt vocals and an old school fuzzy production. Really sounds like a soul record of the 70s with some modern sensibilities. Mostly has a melancholic mood, but some songs like the opener 'You ain't the Problem' , 'Rolling' and 'Hero' are funky bangers. Second half mostly has these beautiful ballads with strings and ethereal choral background vocals and life affirming lyrics. Loved it. Favorites: I've been Dazed, Piano Joint(This Kind of Love), Hero, Solid Ground.

I did not expect that. I didn’t even know anyone still made music like this. It has heavy late 60s, early 70s sort of vibe and I totally dug it. Very rarely an album comes across this list from an artist I’ve never heard of that I actually really enjoy and this is one of them.

What an enjoyable album.

Great album. Michael Kiwanuka reminds me of my ex. It's relaxing, soulful, expertly played and deserves to be listened all the way through at least once. I am picky about giving 5 stars to an album but it's an extremely high 4. Brilliant.

Wow! A complete unknown. What a treat. Love at first sight.

Fabulous album. Genre blending in its finest form, gravitating around old soul, jazz and funk disciplines with no clear boundaries to prevent freeform activity. It gets psychedelic at times, introspective at others and incredibly contemplative lyrically. I like this album alot. As far as modern additions to this 1001 list. I support it.

New artist to me. Big fan.

A beautiful listening experience. Definitely one a rainy winters days in front of the fire reading a book.

It feels like a crime that I didn't know about this before today.

I feel like he took some risks with composition and production and they really paid off.

Kiwanuka’s got a great voice. A little slow in parts but very beautiful.

Very good.

A vibe.

It was really cool to hear all of the different musical influences for this album! What a surprise. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Loved Michael Kiwanuka since the first album and saw him support mumford and sons in Melbourne a few year later. Soulful voice and great music. Stand out tracks: - You ain't the problem - I've been dazed - Piano Joint (This kind of love) - Living in denial - Hero - Solid Ground

Into to it sooth me thnx 🙏

Really worked for me, definitely going to go back to his earlier stuff

- Geil, hab nicht damit gerechnet, Michael Kiwanuka hier wiederzufinden - Ich hab vor einiger Zeit mal „Cold Little Heart“ von dem Dude in unsere THI Liste reingewählt. Hab mir da auch mal ein paar andere Sachen von ihm angehört und fands auch alles cool, aber hab ihn dann nicht mehr so wirklich verfolgt. - Das Album hat mir echt sehr gut gefallen - Geiler retro Soulrock Vibe, cooler und eigener Sound mit Handschrift, mega Stimme - Auch schöne Intrumentaltracks zwischendurch - Produziert von Danger Mouse, der auch ein krasser Motherfucker ist. Der Typ steht einfach für Qualität und ds hört man auch - Werd ich jetzt sicher öfter hören Rating: 4,25/5

- suuuper entspannte Platte - richtig geil, um in den Arbeitstag (und heutigen Freitag) zu starten - wird definitiv noch öfter angemacht

Dig it

5 Sterne

Really enjoyed this album. Starts groovy and then takes you on a psychedelic daydream with angelic voices, smooth guitar and drawn-out sunlight touching you gently. And what a bold album cover!

Very smooth and clean sounding in a way that can sometimes push me away but I find this just so soothing

I think this will grow on me more but it’s really good!

So happy to see this album on the list and for Michael to get the props he deserves

Oooooh, this funky. Easy listening, sneaky like.

Wow, das hat mich überrascht. Hat alle meine Erwartungen unterlaufen und Lust auf mehr gemacht. Gleich mal das Album Love & Hate reingezogen. Auch klasse.

It started out as something that I didn't particularly like but by the end of the album I liked it. Ended up listening to it three times that day

Just a great polished professional album. He is excellent

Nice sounding album - Enjoyed it

Beautifully crafted modern soul

This album is a breath of fresh air and surprising how good it its! 4.3 stars!

Liked this quite a bit! I wasn’t familiar with this artist but can see why he won a Grammy.

Before: This album has a reputation on the subreddit as one of the gems of this project that people discover through this and immediately love, so I’m pretty excited. After: very much enjoyed this. I think four stars for now and then a few months from now I’ll kick myself for not giving it five. Also, after yesterday’s album from 1956, pretty incredible to get this leap in production value.

It's nice

What an album! I remember when this was first released Adam Buxton reviewed it on his podcast and he was blown away by it but also commented that it was so tight and polished it left no room for the listener to have a part in it. I thought about this a lot at the time and when I listened to it this time around. I think that's an interesting take that without a touch of ramshackle you could feel disconnected. Regardless of that wow. It's quite amazing

A great album, I really enjoy it. He's got an excellent sound and really good variety, feels so fresh.

I dug this album a lot. Blues and 70s inspired rock is always great. Not something I'd necessarily sit and listen to as a whole, but if random songs were added to my mixes I wouldn't complain.

This was a pleasant surprise. Never heard of this before I started this challenge. Will definitely listen to Mike some more.

This was such a nice and fresh surprise. 4/5

great drums great soul

Really enjoyed this.

Super smooth and rocky soul album. Loved the elements of prog rock and psychedelia in there, and simultaneously surprised I hadn't heard more about both Michael and this album. Lowkey deserves a relisten bc I was driving while I heard the majority of it, so it would benefit from me paying more attention to it. it's something special for sure though. Fav Songs: Hero, You Ain't the Problem, Final Days

Bra album. Kvalité rakt igenom. Öppningsspåret är riktigt starkt.

I wasn’t familiar with Kiwanuka before. Now sure how I missed on this three-time Mercury Prize nominee (and one time winner) but it was a nice discovery. Quality album.

My bestie played a show with him I. Atlanta awhile back. And since then songs on the album have been in the regular rotation. He does his style well, but there could be slightly more variety

This is really beautiful. Had no idea what to expect to hear, it was not what this sounds like. Deep, soulful melodies and lyrics that feel fresh and energetic. 4 stars

Lush soundscape. Modern rock. 70s influences. Very funky and cool. Jazz and Mowtown influences. Smooth. Elaborate. Beautifully done. Varied. Stunning 60s samples.

8.5/10. Really original. I like the dynamics in this album. It's really unlike other albums in its style. :)

Another gem from the list. I was aware of Michael Kiwanuka but had never really given him much of a listen. I’m beginning to wish I had though as this was really good and I enjoyed listening to it.

I think I like this. It certainly isn't in my usual listening, but it's definitely music I can write stories to. It also feels healing to listen to.

I knew nothing about Michael Kiwanuka. I like "Living in Denial" and "Hard to Say Goodbye" and "Light". The latter's music sounds like Air. Also "Final Days" reminds me of "Roads" by Portishead. I'd like to check out more of his music.

I love this.

Great variety of genres

Great album which blends soul and folk. Didn't know anything about this artist. Definitely it's a great recommendation!

Nominated for rock album of the year. Didn't find any rock on this album but was pleasure to listen still.

Rating: 8.5/10 An eclectic mix of styles with fantastic production, great singing and instrumentation. Favorite songs: You Ain't The Problem, Rolling, I've Been Dazed, Piano Joint, Hero, Final Days, Solid Ground, Light. Worst song: Living In Denial.

Hard to believe the album came out in 2019, really good album and will be adding it to playlists

What Kiwanuka proves above all else is that soul is possible in modern music and can easily sit alongside its compatriots, seemingly without comparison to soul’s ‘golden era’. This is soul music for today, clearly taking tips from records of the 60s and 70s, but not just remaking them - redefining them. It results in a genuinely unique sound - something that could be put on and instantly recognised as Kiwanuka. An album with a flowing and cascading soundscape, one to match its inspirations.

This is an exceptional record with so many good ideas. As an extra his voice just fits perf curly in the instrumentation.

LOVED the soulful vibe of this. it felt so human and raw. Tbh if i listen to it again this could be a five cause im feeling a 4.5 on it. 1. Piano Joint 2. Hero 3. Solid Ground

Good vibes! Would probably listen again

Excellent. Beautiful instrumenration. Some of the interludes felt unnecessary

A beautiful album that I need to return to.

Such a strange inclusion. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. It's just strange that it's here. Truly genre defining, I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was this album was meant to be, but that is by no means negative.

Damn, this is fantastic. Excited to keep revisiting this one. 4/5

Never heard of him, but the album is good.

In coming to this album mostly fresh, it was interesting to learn that Kiwanuka is a significantly bigger star in his home base of England than here in the United States. Apparently there’s much hype and fan euphoria there for his full discography, including this release. And… I’m not there at the UK level. I really only know him from his track “Cold Little Heart” from HBO’s Big Little Lies. He’s clearly talented and I love the mixture of genres he pulls together to create this modern, moody, unique blend of R&B, soul, acoustic folk and jazz to name just a few threads he’s pulling from. And the strong songwriting based around deep, personal yet universal themes of self identity coupled with his authentic voice that’s comfortable embracing all these styles seamlessly is his strength. But for me, it slightly becomes his weakness here, where the album was spread a little too wide in musical styles, making it slightly less cohesive thematically. Still great though, so much so I’m looking forward to diving into his full discography.

This is solid.

Great. He has a great voice and I like the mood of the instruments. Favorite song: Rolling. (but most of them, really)

Great album, I kept wishing for the vocal melodies to be a little bit more creative, because the piano, instruments, voice were all spectacular. A truly nice listening experience the whole way through.

unexpected chill album, very smooth r&b, feels like something that Shick's or Clarion River Brewery would play, possibly someone at Campus Ministry would have running

Супэр альбом, полный и драмы, и грува. Лучшая песня - You Ain't The Problem.

This was so great!! Enjoyed basically every song. I’m not sure which part specifically to even say worked well because the whole thing just felt really well made and interesting.

I think I would've eventually been able to know Danger Mouse had something to do with this on vibes alone. Kiwanuka's writing allows for a lot of space that Danger Mouse seems to fill with atmosphere that reminds me of Shirley Basset's Bond themes, or the laid back likes of Röyksopp or Zero 7. It's nice mood music. Favorite tracks: "Solid Ground", "Living In Denial", "Hard To Say Goodbye"

Easy listening. I was initially going to award 3 stars but on reflection there are some solid tracks throughout.

Interesting listen. Sometimes it sounds like 70s soul and r & b and other times the music is much more modern sounding like the Strokes. Overall I like it.

A wonderful African beat introduction

This was really good. Soulful, hip, groovy — never tried too hard to be anything it wasn't. Vey self-assured.

Мягко, приятно, интересно

Heard a few tracks off his first album, so I’m looking forward to this. This definitely sounds better on headphones. Nice, calm, pretty, well made. Relaxing and easy to enjoy. Gets better with repeat listening. Nothing to complain about. 4/5

didn't go into this with high expectations but this exceeded them .Great fusion of soul and some hip-hop elements. Favorite tracks: You ain't the problem, hard to say goodbye

Very emotional, reminds me a bit of Flower Boy and Blonde. Has a 60s/70s sound that is unique, will listen again. Almost a 8.5

Kiwanuka crushes it. This album is great easy listening, contemporary with a bit of a Seal vibe. Both give it a (3.75*s)

This is not my first foray into MK's music, I have several other songs by him saved to playlists. He's a modern take on soul music with a dash of Ugandan backbeats and I really dig the whole sound. This album is full of emotion and true expression, drip some of that honey-voice over it and it's great. He's an artist in the purest sense. I listened to this full album several times through and never got bored.

Wow, that came out of nowhere. This is what I am looking for in this project: An artist I hadn’t really heard of, a genre I am usually not excited about - yet, this won me over at track one and didn’t let me go. Such a lovely sound, so many great songs, full of surprises.

yeeeeeee

I do love African beats.

Varied and bombastic, and a real departure from his previous album

Pretty good!

#315. When I saw this, my first thought was Ah, here we go again with some obscure, likely strange ass British shit no one's ever heard of. And as it seems, none of his songs popular on Spotify are even from this album. Is this yet another time when the characters making this list picked a one hit wonder, and then put a different one of their albums on this list instead? Yeah, I have no idea about the answer to that question because I've literally never heard this dude's name even once before, but what I can say is that this shit slaps. It doesn't seem to slot into any one genre neatly, but if anything that's for the better. I wish all the music on this list I've never heard of was as good as this, but the list creators would rather ear-rape me with Scritti Politti and the like instead. 4/5: fantastic

Virkelig lækkert! Fantastisk stemme, sommermusik

If this thing was like 10 minutes shorter, I'd give it a 5. It's lush, it's beautiful, but it wanders off the trail a little too far too often.

I was listening to this on a walk and kept trying to figure out why this reminded me so much of Inflo's work with Little Simz and SAULT only to get home and Google it and find out Inflo produced this too. Of course! Liked the psychedelic, groovier first half of this more, but it's still a delight to hear Inflo's grandiose arrangements paired with Michael Kiwanuka's voice.

An throwback to old soul music that's drenched in reverb and modern production touches from Danger Mouse. Mournful lyrics delivered like a more folky solomon burke.

Totally blindsided by this one. Still struggling to pigeon hole a genre, so let’s keep it simple. It’s super chilled, and has a great vibe, largely contemporary but some lovely 70s leanings. Ah, I just really like it. Looking forward to reading more and hopefully more back catalogue.

Really enjoyed most of the album, the only knock I have is the background conversations that were not clear enough to understand and just clear enough to get in the way of the experience. Just didn’t understand what he was trying to do. Otherwise a a good listen

What an absolute triumph of an album. Indebted to the past but far from a mere update. Sonically rich. Quite a journey. Ravers, ballads and everything in between all presented in a unique pallette. Soul, psychedelia with enough of a modern touch to make it would timeless. An album I will return to.

Interesting. Different. 2 thumbs up.

ive been wanting to listen to this for a while. 9.2/10 soulful funky jazzy delicious let me kiss that sweet face michael

Incredibly enjoyable. Really great start to an album... Incredible that there is like no information on it, but it's on this list.

Had heard lots of the songs before, but whole album listened well 7/10

really loved this

Really good album.

Definitely the best album of that year....

Really loved the vibe of this.

Love the vibe of this album

tämä on hyvää cacaa. jahas mainokset alkoi 2 sekuntia ennen laulun päättymistä eli en ehtinyt klikata seuraavaa laulua koska tuli mainokset siihen. heh. indie rock album heh taitaa mennä hyvällä herralla vähän sekaisin genret, ei ole valkonen brittikvartetti tämä, älä käytä tuommoista loukkaavaa kielenkäyttöä enään koskaan heheh. hyvä tietää että NE osaavat vielä tehdä musiikkiakin... modernismi kuuluu mutta vanhojen aikojen wibat kaikuvat... But something stirs and something tries, And starts to climb toward the light... hero

Miam

Thoughts before listening: I really enjoy Michael Kiwanuka. I saw him at Bonnaroo a few years ago and got really into his album at that time. This one I'm less familiar with although I do believe I listened a couple times. A modern spin on blues based rock music with a singer who has more soul than most rock singers. Review: This is great. Very cool mix of R&B, blues, and rock. Michael Kiwanuka has a great voice, and he incorporates elements of many different styles that I enjoy. Its refreshing to get a newer album on here that I enjoy and thats a new discovery for me. My favorite songs are "I've Been Dazed", "Piano Joint", "Hero", and "Light". 4-stars

can’t believe i’ve never heard this. phenomenal body of work

Heartfelt and beautiful soul album

Another album and artist I haven't heard of. I really liked this, there were some great songs

When Glastonbury announced the lineup for 2024's instalment of the festival, it was initially met with mixed reactions on social media. I swear, I must've seen about 10 people independently comment "that don't impress me much" in response to it, a painfully obvious reference to Shania Twain's status as a headliner. That being said, despite this, the lineup, I thought, was fairly strong. I'd pointed out about thirty or so artists that I'd be interested in seeing the replays of - LCD Soundsystem, Squid, Little Simz, PJ Harvey, Fontaines D.C., Lankum... the list goes on. But one name stuck out as one that I recognised from somewhere - Michael Kiwanuka. It took a quick google search before I found he' fairly well-regarded commercially and critically, and a little longer before I realised he was featured on Danger Mouse & Black Thought's 2022 track "Aquamarine" - one of my favourite songs from that year. Speaking of which, Danger Mouse's production is almost certainly the first thing I noticed upon hearing the first song, "You Ain't the Problem". The drums in particular sound excellent, and as I went further into the album, I found that there was a real depth and variety to the instrumentation here - all of which complement's Kiwanuka's vocals wonderfully. It's clearly quite the ambitious project, and it's extremely cohesive. My only issue is that there weren't really any individual songs that stood out to me as highlights; this is really a non-issue, though, when the quality of the music on here is as consistently as high as it is. Overall, well-produced, well-performed, and an absolute joy to listen to. Is it my favourite album from 2019? Nowhere near. But as far as I'm aware, the Weyes Blood, Tyler the Creator and Black MIDI albums from that year aren't on this list, so for all intents and purposes, it may as well be. 8/10

Definitely enjoyed this

Cool record. It might be a five, hard to say, decently compelling on first listen, but I was interrupted a bit. Never heard it before.

I've never heard of this artist before. It's one of the best albums I've listened to so far on this list! 4/5

Dei play no álbum sem saber o que esperar. Começou dançante alto astral e terminou intimista e melancólico, mas estranhamente combinaram. Amei o contrabaixo marcado nas primeiras músicas.

Love this. Still prefer Love And Hate. (definitely nostalgia) Fav Track: Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) Honorable Mentions: You Aint The Problem, Hero, & Light

Really enjoyed the back end

A really well-balanced album with well-constructed songs. I'll come back to this one.

I missed this one completely despite typically being the kind of person who pays attention to the Mercury. Must’ve been distracted by something in 2020. Anyway this was infectious from the first minute. The reliance on distortion got a bit wearing for me but I loved this regardless.

Enjoyed it nice relaxing vibe

Very good, atmospheric. Definitely will listen to this more. No favorite songs in particular. The whole album should be listened as a whole I think

Groovy, bluesy, rootsy. Just damn good music. I wa familiar with their Love and Hate album, but not this one. Glad to get some new music in my rotation.

Having never heard of Michael Kiwanuka before listening to this album, I wasn't sure what to expect, but man did I enjoy the hell out of this record. He blends together the sounds of an indie singer-songwriter, soul, and some smooth jazz as well seamlessly. It was a rainy day when I listened to this, and this album provided a pitch-perfect, laid-back soundtrack to stay inside and relax. I'll definitely be revisiting this artist more in the future - the vibes are simply too immaculate not to. Notable Tracks: - You Ain't The Problem - I've Been Dazed - Living In Denial - Hero - Hard To Say Goodbye - Final Days 8/10

Fun and interesting. Classic rock elements that remind me of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Led Zeppelin

I really wish I was able to put a bit more attention towards this album today. I liked it as easy listening while working but I can tell I missed something. Either way, this is a very tight piece of music and one of the more modern ones I have gotten to off this list. It feels timeless in its organic instrumentation and definitely one I will come back to with the lyrics up!

Love it!

Really interesting and beautiful. Love when this shows me albums I really wouldn’t have heard of.

Great vibe. Will revisit.

Never heared of him before. Sounds very much like 60´s to me. I like the atmospheric, dark sound of his voice with orchestra and distorted guitar. Surprisingly this one was growing on me with every listen from background music to a very solid album. Favourite: "You Ain´t The Problem", "Living In Denail", "Hero", "Rolling", "Final Days" 3,5

Nice change of pace from all the old music but also sad reminder of how this list goes to like 2021 and is still so lacking

Definitely one of the most surprising albums we've had so far; hadn't ever heard of it and it ended up being great. Loved the mix of genres and sounds. Glad this is on the list

I think i’ll need a second listen for full appreciation, but I really liked what I heard.

pas mal pour le boulot 4/5

What a pleasant surprise!! I hadn’t heard of this artist before and didn’t really know what to expect, but I enjoyed the whole album.

Dig it - like a mix of badbadnotgood and Charles Bradley.

Really enjoy the old school sounds deployed on modern stylings. Also, knew "Hero" from the radio but never understood who did it until now, so that's nice.

I'm pretty sure I haven't heard anything from this album, or from Michael Kiwanuka for that matter, so as far I know this is all new to me. And I really enjoyed the songs and the album, a very pleasant surprise. There are shades of Ollabelle and maybe also Ben Harper, but with a much more groove-focused style, and it's really fun that he arranged a concept-style album in 2019. I always find it a fun challenge to try to guess which side of the pond some English-language singers are from, and I'll admit I didn't do a very good job with Michael Kiwanuka. His style and voice seemed more American to me, and the video for "Hero" certainly seemed to be very American-oriented), but the video for "You Ain't the Problem" (one of my favorite songs on the album, along with "Hero") seemed much more British than American, and I eventually had to cheat and read in Wikipedia that he's English. Not that there's anything wrong with that. :) And very cool to find out he appeared (as himself) in the film "Yesterday"!

I'm digging the mid-70s vibe to it--surprised this is from 2019! Kiwanuka's voice is rich and heartfelt. Beautiful album.

A good album, took me a little by surprise. A solid 4

Expansive soul

My 1st album. Really like it

This guy was new to me. I liked what I heard and will explore more!

I love me some Michael Kiwanuka. Most of his albums, including this one, are so inviting and easy to listen to. His voice is magnificent and the guitar work is just as good.

Not a bad album. Nice tunes.

Også megachill album

Never heard of him, but this was really good. Kind of mellow, but upbeat.

Extremely creative and I like how the songs seem to flow together.

Credevo fosse musica etno africana anni 80. Ho ricevuto il suggerimento di ascoltarlo e devo dire che ne è valsa la pena, proprio caruccio.

Ma che figooooo

Really good. Falls off a bit towards the end but I loved it

Great album. Would listen to again

I think this is a really great album, and I almost want to give it a 4.5, but I feel I have to round down, because it doesn't do anything revolutionary to me. It's just really solid. I like his voice, and I really like the smoothness of his songwriting. However, once it's over, there isn't really any one song I can recall. I will be listening to more of his work, though, because I could see him becoming a favorite.

The voice alone deserves some recognition, but then you add in some very creative drums and bass music. The transcendent sound is both big and controlled. This is really a treat to listen to and the key being that the entire album is conceptual and a delight to listen to in full.

An excellent listen that I see myself falling in love with more each listen.

Wow, what an interesting find. Mixes everything from Radiohead to Stevie Wonder with some crunchy Hendrix guitars and lovely soul vocals. A great musical rollercoaster, one of the best post-2010 picks on this list.

This is pretty good, it’s like real down to earth stuff. It’s got a 70s look to the album cover and the music isn’t too far off in some ways but it just feels different. Not what I expected. Soulful and engaging, but has some mellower parts that almost feel like imitating dance/electronic… idk, I think I need more concentrated listens when I am actually awake lol. Anyway, liked a lot of stuff on this.

Cool new discovery! I think this would take a few listens to sink in, but enjoyed it for sure.

My first impression of this album (which I've not listened to since its release) are of a nice smooth and well-delivered soul album. I'm not massively grabbed by this - it's a bit too easy listening for my taste. Kiwanuka's voice is great, but I wish there was a bit more passion there.

Very good. This album was a pleasant surprise. This was my first exposure to this artist and I really liked it.

Another totally new one for me, and a very pleasant surprise! Solid soul music, I will have to dig into more from this guy.

Really great. I didn’t know this artist and enjoyed this a lot but didn’t quite reach five stars, but I’d listen to more of this guy.

Surprisingly enjoyable. The first track really kicks.

I liked this so much more than I thought I was going to!

dat bass

I oddly like this album. Even though it seems sad, I enjoy the melody

seeehr cool de ersti song. mega 70s soul mit de congas und so. aber er macht irgendwie chli meh demit. gad d drums sind seeehr überstüürt und gönd huuere los. bassline vo rolling isch riiichtig geile scheiss. i like. ive been dazed isch jo huuuere geil fuck. hypnotisch irgendwie. hammer. piano joint isch uultra schön, er singt suuper sini stimm isch so weich. s zücht eim meeega ine, hard to say goodbye het au meega schöni sounds und isch mega athmosphärisch ohni langwilig sii. sobalder afoht singe wird seehr subtil groovy und denn schlagzüg ine lesgooo. final days isch au huuere geil. simmer moll? simmer dur? woane?? light isch en meeeega schöne closer holy shit. bin scho fast tempted zum es füfi geh.

schomal sehr coole ahfang, ich lieb die "überstürt" gitarre de übergang vo rolling zu I've been dazed sehr geil, han zerst gmeint es seg eifach e ruhigi bridge fuck piano joint isch insane find au d interludes passed sehr und mached s album flüssend I NEED A HERO TILL THE END OF THE NIIGHT oeff so fuckking geil das verzerrte solo light huere schö seeeehr knapp amene 5i verbii, s het echlii chürzer chönne sii und hie und da hets moment geh woni churz abgschalte han aber suscht wowiie

Beautiful, More complexity than his previous albums

Really nice listening. Smooth

As the album went on I ended up enjoying this way more than I thought I would.

The opener is a fucking banger Rolling is a bit weaker I sure have been dazed... The intro to the next song is longer than 2 minutes? Damn. Guess my thinking is NuNu coded lol Piano joint is very very good Living in denial is better than I expected It looks like a 7.5/10 for now It's enjoyable, and there are a lot of highlights, but there's something missing for me Final dayssssss The later songs are increasing the rating i think It's a good album.

"You Ain't The Problem" is a great opening track. Pretty solid album, do not think I will be listening to it all the way through again. Ended with 5 saved tracks.

One of the reasons I started this project was to discover new music I haven't heard before. This was a discovery. Shades of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield with plenty of soul, a touch of folk and even a dash of prog. (Check out the mellotron.) This was really cool Neo soul music and I will listen again and will dig into his discography.

nice

Честно, понравилось как одна песня перетекает в другую, но многое пропустила мимо ушей

This was really enjoyable. Some were a little funky but all in all they were so beautiful and different. It was one of the first albums I felt was really something different and didn't remind me of something else we had listened to. Hard to Say Goodbye was a little long but the rest were just beautiful mixes of so many different sounds that just worked so well together.

extremely nice vibes - a great album to ear whilst working or on a chill walk. very glad to have heard this!

A pretty good sound rock album. One of the singles was kind of overplayed, unfortunately.

I'm actually surprised that, given the contemporary nature of this album, it hasn't crossed into my orbit before this moment. I am enjoying a lot that is here. His voice (in my ear) is like a love child between Damon Albarn and Thom Yorke, mixed with something a bit more full bodied. Really beautiful production throughout making use of gospel-like elements and instrumental layering that make a beautiful platform for his voice to shine. I've Been Dazed is a really spread out and warm song. Love the gospel support and layering in general. The electronic + strings at the back half makes this feel so warm and fuzzy. Piano Joint is beautiful and soulful. Love everything about it. Living in Denial gives a callback to 70s disco/soul (probably muffing those genres, but whatever). Actually on a second listen, I realize I get strong BADBADNOTGOOD vibes from the composition of that song.

I missed calling out the SAULT Untitled (Black Is) for latest album (June 2020), but this one fits into second place at November 2019. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last time I make a mention of latest albums over the next ~600 albums. This is a terrific album. Beautiful voice with clean, chill backing instrumentation. Feels like it's somewhere between Gary Clark Jr and Jungle. Easy 4

Pretty recent one! Had this on in the background while working and it was insanely good morning music. I downloaded it to my phone and excited to listen again. His voice is so smooth and the whole album had a lot of feeling behind it. Will definitely be back especially during some nice summer days. High 4

7 / 10 Pop - Soul con muy buenos arreglos y una gran voz. Pero no tan bueno como la canción que lo lanzo a la fama.

Still listening

Excellent singer/ song writer

Pleasantly surprised. I haven't listened to this artist before, but really enjoyed it!

overall really good album, with catchy songs, but also some slower cuts. not really fond of the choir/folkal elements tho.

Rock, folk, and indie music combined. “You ain’t the problem” really grabbed my attention and the next two songs were also bangers. Then it get moody, a little boring, but always melodically intricate. This dude has talent and is fun to listen to.

Best Rolling Stones album!

Poppy folky, good stuff

I love the beautiful choices for backing, from orchestral strings to soulful backup singers and discordant guitar wails and piano. It mixes it up without making the album feel disjointed. The slow ballad vibe is great too. I don’t usually think of the album covers, but I found the art and font and spacing of this album very striking and fitting with the sound.

beautiful, haunting, deep

This is excellent! Another artist/album I’ve never heard of before, and am happy to have discovered. Definitely something I’ll listen to again. I love these albums that defy easy categorization. Favorite tracks: You Ain’t The Problem, Hero, Solid Ground

Very beautiful album! Great atmosphere and vibe. Some songs are a bit bland. 7/10

Great album. Loved the sound. Hooked from the first song. Added it all to the library

Nice to do some work to.

This album was great. He has a smooth voice and sound.