Tag: Michael Kiwanuka

Posted in Album of the Month

November AOTM | Michael Kiwanuka | Fudge.

Posted on by misterstory

I am not a Kiwanuka fan. But let’s be clear, I’m not a hater either, far from it. I genuinely love some of his music. Some of his tracks are some of the most emotionally and socially impactful tracks of the past 10 years. I am specifically talking about Cold Little Heart and Black Man in a White World.

Despite this love for these Kiwanuka-Funadamental-Tracks, I’ve never loved his albums. They tick so many boxes for me. On paper, I should love them, but I have never engaged with any of his albums in the way that I expect or perhaps even want to. I think we’ve all heard this story with me and other artists haven’t. As Guy always says, you can’t manufacture the feels. Amen. You can’t. Loving music is not a mathematical equation. You cannot solve for the connection that you might instantly feel or develop over time and experience with music and how it fits in your life. So, I approach this album with a mix of trepidation but always with love.

I was not over the moon when it looked like this album was the one that worked best for the pod when it was my month to choose the album of the month. That emotion is not a great start when critiquing an album. However, my emotions took another nose dive when I discovered that this album is a collection of tracks recorded in the same period of time as his previous album. These tracks are 2 years old. Could they be the outtakes from the last album? I hoped not.

Kiwanuka’s absence from the spotlight has recently been explained by him sharing that he has suffered from a stroke at the age of 38 and is still recovering under medical care currently. The story is heart breaking as is perfectly captured in this Guardian article / interview. This album was planned to be released much closer to the release of his last studio album ‘Small Changes’. This perhaps explains the relationship with Fudge and Small Changes. My uncharitable fear that this was simply ‘Small Changes Outtakes’ feels less accurate and the more charitable view is that ‘Fudge’ is the companion record to ‘Small Changes’. Music recorded, at a similar time, with more or less the same band, in a different environment but importantly viewed through a different lens … i.e. Kiwanuka self-produced these tracks. Moving away from DangerMouse and Inflo production is a big thing both from a narrative and sonic perspective.

Listen to it the album here or here or here.

So what does this album sound like to a non-Kiwanuka fan? Please consider the following initial thoughts, an introduction. This is not a review it’s just some stuff:

Immediately, this all feels surprisingly loose. It’s like a walk taken with no particular destination in mind—not merely walking for the sake of it, but as a genuine means of expression. It is an expressive mooch! It’s raw and messy and rich and luscious all at the same time. For those who never quite vibed with the impeccably polished, sometimes clinical sound of previous albums, this shift could be a welcome change? The vocals are often distorted, carrying the grit of being recorded through a mic’d-up amp (?), while the overall vibe remains chill, melancholic, restrained, and perhaps even a little constrained. It does feel like there is something being held back or perhaps missing? This is just a feeling, not a fact.

My overall impression was that I felt very comfortable. Definitely not blown away. Many of the tracks felt like they lacked something, and I think that they felt a little sub-Kiwanuka-classic to a non-fan. On later listens they’ve already morphed and changed so I am sure by recording time I will have been on a journey.Some track by track thoughts from my VERY first listen. These are subject to and highly likely to change, so don’t get too reactive about any of them!

  • Summer Clothes – such a great way to start an album. The sample of this musician talking about creative authenticity is perfect. It’s a lovely message and it says a lot about the album and how we should listen to it. The track itself is beautiful. It is everything you probably expected and wanted if you’re a fan? There’s a noticeable lack of percussion, which creates a swirling, meandering vibe to the track, the strings and the backing vocals enhance this perfectly. The strings are quite high in the mix which is an interesting choice underlining the ethereal qualities of the sound.
  • California builds beautifully, what’s the raspy breathy sound low in the mix. I feel that this one will be a grower?
  • Just another moment – acoustic chug, trademark strings, that tambourine’s doing a lot of heavy lifting, got to love a woodblock too. I am very comfortable with the meandering jam-like feel that exists once the vocals end: for me this could feel noodley but avoids this perfectly, not sure how. The backing vocals really help provide some ‘human-connection’ to the instrumental passage.
  • Drowning in You – this feels the loosest, feels like a demo? The synth is a welcome surprise as is the piano that sounds like it was recorded in Euston station. Interesting use of strings and backing vocals. Is this the most luscious, richly orchestrated demo ever?  Very pleasant melody, if not instantly memorable.
  • Love in My Heart – this instantly feels like a kiwanuka classic. It feels massive before it even gets massive. You probably know where it’s going and when it’s going to get there as you listen. This predictability is not a bad thing. You feel like you’re in safe hands, like someone you know well is taking you on a familiar journey … without any shoes on. I’m enjoying the soundscape. The synths against the strings are a wonderful thing. My favourite balance of production so far. Ooooh that cello, hello.
  • Across the sky – the looseness is back.  Acoustic guitar driven track, strings and synths join in and expand on the initial simplicity
  • Stars – this feels perfectly placed as a sonic change up. Lots of things are subtly different on this track. that electric guitar is a welcome time change A d the vocal sounds clean and crisp for the first time on the album. Male backing vocal feels like a switch up . I like the melodic and lyrical simplicity. The drums feel loose as fuck. I like this.  This is my favourite track so far.
  • You sent me flying – this feels a little like a filler track. The slide guitar is a pleasant addition to the sonic palette. There’s nothing inherently bad about thud track, for me it’s not adding anything to what I’ve heard before. It’s doing a similar thing in a less remarkable or interesting way.
  • Move In My Direction – another acoustic plus vocal start. Strings join in mid point. More memorable and impactful melody but I’m feeling like it lacks what I was enjoying before. I am feeling like this part of the album has a bit of an energy or vibe leak?
  • Steve’s Paradise – instrumental opening  feels like a welcome change given the previous two tracks that for me add nothing but follow a very familiar pattern. The la la las are beautiful as is that organ. I really like this track. This is gorgeous. It’s got a very Pink Floyd feel to its expansiveness and it really shakes up the feel of the album in a good way. This track does make others feel formulaic.
  • Sing – boom. This is what we want. Ok it’s the same formula but this is simply a superior song. Instant vintage. Tuned percussion, analogue synths, loose drums, swelling strings, a chord change that feels Ike a key change, floor toms, and a guitar solo. That’s my bingo card sorted, house! Gorgeous outro.
  • Swings and Roundabouts – this is a tough ask, what’s a track gonna do to finish an album after Sing ….. This is actually a very pretty end to the album. And a ,ore interesting track than I expected. Acoustic guitar solo anyone. Ok I buy it. That’s a lovely way to end the album.

I am curious to understand what will repeated listens do for my appreciation of this album.

Posted in Album of the Month, New Albums, podcast

Podcast EP.59 | Little Simz | Lotus

Posted on by misterstory

EP. 73 | Dahi | Black Boy (Alternative) – This Is Not Happening – An Album Of The Month Podcast

Welcome to Episode 73 of This Is Not Happening, an Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we do a deep drive review of our Album of the Month. This month Nolan has chosen an producer and artist that was on none of our radars, Dahi. He's the producer behind many massive artists including Kendrick Lamar and has released his first 'solo' album Black Boy (Alternative).In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month, taking inspiration from last months focus on Phoebe Bridgers, we are picking tracks by 'SuperGroups'.Part 1 | Album of the Month | Dahi | Black Boy (Alternative):He may not be the first SuperProducer that you might think of but its hard to deny that Dahi meets the definition. He's produced for Kendrick, SZA, Travis Scott, Mac Miller, Childish Gambino, Madonna and Dr. Dre. But now he becomes the creative focal point with his debut artist release. The album is many things but it's nothing like I expected it to be. Dahi himself described the solo project as 'African Radiohead' which I feel is weird and misplaced but apparently the internet has much to say on the topic.Join us as we unpack this interesting and intriguing album.Read the Guardian's review for a bit of background here.Read this rare interview on Music Tech to learn more from Dahi.If you'd prefer to watch an interview … Saving Connie has it covered.This playlist reminds you how prolific Dahi is.Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | SuperGroupsThe theme this month, inspired by Phoebe Bridgers Boy Genius side project is the Super Group. We are defining SuperGroup as a collection of previously well known solo musicians or members of other groups who form a named, side project with other solo musicians or band members.The task is pick a track that fits the theme, the objective, get more 'spins' than your friends. We each pick four tracks for a 16 track play list . We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?Guy chose | Getting Away With It | ElectronicJoey chose | 'The Truth' | Handsome Boy Modelling SchoolDavid chose | 7/4 Shoreline | Broken Social SceneNolan chose | Definition | Black StarWe've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 73 | Dahi | Black Boy (Alternative)
  2. EP.72 | Phoebe Bridgers | Lost Weekend
  3. EP.71 | Steve Lacy | Oh Yeah?
  4. EP.70 | Olivia Rogrigo | You seem pretty sad …
  5. EP. 69 | Lykke Li | The Afterparty

Welcome to Episode 59 of This is Not Happening (TINH), an Album of the Month (AOTM) Podcast. We’re missing a team-member this month as Davide is on an Anglo-French diplomatic mission. 

In Part 1 we deep dive into an Album that one of us has chosen and in Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or Bin it’.  We pick a theme and each pick a song that represents that theme. We judge the selections by asking the question ‘Spin It or Bin It’?

In Part 1, Nolan is in the seat. He brings Little Sim’z new album, Lotus. This was a reluctant choice when he made it. He thought it was an interesting album but he was far from loving it. Has that changed in a month?

In Part 2, we celebrate New Music. What are our favourite new tracks from the last couple of months?

                            —– Part 1 | Little Simz | ‘Lotus’ —–

This is the 2nd Little Simz album we’re reviewed as our little Album of the Month collective. Last time round was here debut album Grey Area which would all pretty much loved. I think our experience of her work since then has varied significantly. This album has been launched in a quite dramatic and controversial environment following the collapse of Simz’ relationship with former collaborator Inflo. What does Simz sound like without Inflo? Let’s find out.

Listen to the album, listen to the pod, tell us what you think. Here are some links that we mention on the pod or think could be useful to explore;

  • Listen to the album … HERE.
  • We mention the great Louis Theroux podcast interview … HERE.
  • Watch the video for ‘Young’ … HERE.
  • Buy some stuff … HERE.  

                          —– Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | ‘New Music’ —–

The theme this month is New Music. Simple. What new tunes are we loving? There’s LOADS of amazing music out but we also need to pick something that we think the rest of us will vote ‘spin it’ to.

We all chose 4 tracks as a shortlist which we combine into a belter of a 16 track playlist, listen to that bad boy HERE.

Posted in Album of the Month, New Tunes

September AOTM: Sault – Untitled (Black Is)

Posted on by nolankane706

Throughout lockdown I searched high and low for new music and in general struggled to find something that blew my mind. This was until Sault released ‘Untitled (Black Is)’.  Over 3 months since the first listen it is still fresh as the first listen and I’m excited to present it to you as this month’s album of the month.

Who are Sault and where have they come from? In short, nobody really knows. It’s written that they’re a collective most likely from London and they’re on the Forever Living Origionals imprint. Cleo Sol is thought to be in the band, so is Kid Sister and Inflo. In the last 18 months they have released 3 full albums that are all thriller and no filler. Their sound in my humble opinion is incredible. It firmly falls into my wheelhouse. They cover a wide spectrum of sounds with soul firmly at the heart of everything they do. 

Like their first two releases, our album of the month Untitled (Black Is) came out of nowhere. The first time the world heard it was on the Giles Peterson show. He rated it so highly that he played the entire album on its’ first play in June. They posted on their social media upon the digital release “We present our first ‘Untitled’ album to mark a moment in time where we as Black People, and of Black Origin are fighting for our lives. RIP George Floyd and all those who have suffered from police brutality and systemic racism. Change is happening…We are focused.”

Focused is an understatement. From the initial ‘Out the Lies’, followed by ‘Stop Dem’, ‘Hard Life’, and ‘Don’t Shoot Guns Down’ the scene is set for the majestic ‘Wildfires’; which exudes inspiration and determination amongst deep frustration as the first half of the album swiftly pulls you in. As Sault swerve through the multi genre effort you’re continually impressed with each new sound whilst purveying the consistent message of black unity. As the album nears it’s end the message moves from frustration to hope.

Sault have released an album of heart felt, thought provoking songs that inspire and for some hopefully educate. At face value I would wonder if an album that moves through psychedelic soul, dub, reggae and spoken word within minutes of each other would work? This album does this on numerous occasions without flinching. We often talk about albums and their programming. It is 56 minutes long, 20 tracks deep with a mixture of songs and interludes. I struggle to find a track that doesn’t belong.

This album was the first in months that I was truly blown away by. Since the pre-lockdown release of RTJ4. I write this on the day that Sault announced the follow up to Untitled is imminent. More of their musical magic is on the way and I for one can’t wait!

Posted in Album of the Month

October: Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka

Posted on by GuyHornsby

Yes, brothers, it’s a bit late, but my god, it’s worth the wait. What can you say about Michael Kiwanuka that’s not already been said? Let’s get the cliches out of the way first: he harks back to the best soul musicians of the 60s and 70s, be it Bill Withers, The Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, with a twinge of the jazz he so adores, but he brings that soul, that classic guitar into the modern age, (with a little help from the talents of Danger Mouse and Inflo) with electronic touches and flourishes. Oh, and I think we forgot that it’s easy listening, middle-class soul that belies a depth and richness, and a self-criticism that shows underneath the wizadry, there’s real doubt, loss and sadness.

Now that’s over with, let’s talk about what goes outside the usual tick-box talking points. Because in Michael Kiwanuka we have an artist that could be set to ascend to the heights of a modern great, at a time when the music he makes feels beautifully out of step with everything else on show: tracks that you expect to crackle with the fizz of vinyl, that don’t adhere to radio-friendly lengths or structures, (yet get picked up by globally renowned TV shows) however simple they may seem at first sight. Yes, you may say he should’ve been born 30 years earlier, but in some ways, that would’ve meant he’d perhaps sunk back into the ‘really good’ with so many legends around him. Truth be told, we’re lucky he’s around now, because that means he stands out, and – for those of us of a certain age – he beautifully espouses the virtues of proper songwriting.

And yet, it could’ve been so different. In many ways Kiwanuka is an anachronism. An immigrant kid, growing up in a white, middle-class suburb in north London, stripped of some of the struggles that peers may have encountered. Growing up immersed in jazz and soul, rather than hip-hop or r’n’b, a skater (but really, not that good), and dropping out of his dream course at the Royal Academy to write some songs, play them in a pub, and see where it went, assuming it’d be respected session musician, and never Glastonbury headliner, and singer-songwriter that spent years both convinced his own voice wasn’t up to the mark, then when fame finally hit, wracked with self-doubt, a self-labelled impostor that walked out of sessions with Kanye and struggled singing songs about the bleak side of love as he was getting married himself.

But to stick with Kiwanuka is an experience that rewards you, continually. Even the breakout Home Again, and the BBC Sound of 2012 – which seems so incredibly long ago – didn’t seem to quite bring him the expected success he’d been talked up for. It wasn’t until Love And Hate, four years later, that the it felt like the world caught up. It debuted at No.1 in the UK, and was an album that improved with every listen, his voice just drifting into gravelly, lovelorn ennui, cloaked in sadness. It was hard enough to listen to sometimes in good days, let alone when you’d gone through a break-up, or suffered loss. Every track dripped with sadness, with subtle, careworn character that settled like winter snow. And when he found his voice as a black man in the modern world, it gave us musical glory.

So where do you go from here? Radical reinvention? Pastiche? In this case, a bit of that, but mostly taking what made you so loved, and adding layers. But as with his own character, it’s not a brash statement, but something enveloped in a sound so pure, rich and powerful, that it reveals itself slowly. And shows that along with musical growth, Kiwanuka is also starting to feel more at home with himself. The first single, You Ain’t The Problem, finds him coming to the realisation that, whatever tribulations and doubt there is, it’s not himself that’s at the centre of it. Hero is self-questioning, with a video that puts his own contradictions at its heart, but doesn’t put the blame at his own door, and throughout the album, there are songs whose first impact is ‘that’s nice’, but as you delve deeper and let the music wash over you, and the lyrics sink in, you get to enjoy the slow-burning, blossoming joy as the album slowly shifts under your feet, and you just want to listen again, and again, and again.

Not everything, it seems has to be accessible and obvious from the off, and so this gentle but powerful anachronism, at odds with a fast-paced, condensed, over-saturated world, is everything it should be: a current classic, a future classic, and one of the albums of the year. Amen, Michael.

Posted in Music chat

2016 and its music

Posted on by nolankane706

If February the 3rd, 1959 was the day that music died when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson all died in a plane crash, then surely 2016 will be remembered as the year that music died. From David Bowie dying in the early days of January to the passing of George Michael on Christmas day, you’d be hard pressed to find a music fan of any genre or era in the last 50 years that didn’t loose one of their heroes. Some of us were lucky enough to be treated to one final swan song with he likes of Bowie and Tribe Called Quest (Phife Dawg) releasing arguably some of their best work ahead of their departure, whilst all of the lost artists left us with music that will stay with us for our lifetimes.

2016 for me as a music fan was a strong year with a mixture of new artists and familiar faces releasing some very strong albums, especially within Hip Hop and Soul. I did how ever find that over all the UK seemed to take the foot off the gas after very strong years in 2013, 2014 and 2015. 2016 also saw coming out parties for many artists that were on the cusp of great things with the likes of Chance the Rapper, Anderson Paak and Solandge making strong statements of intent.

2017 is already looking to be a fantastic year for music. But ahead of us turning to the next chapter, please find my top tens of the year.

Albums

Tribe Called Quest – We Got It From Here… Thank You For Your Service

Michael Kiwanuka – Love and Hate

NxWorries – Yes Lawd

Baio – The Names

She Drew The Gun – Memoirs Of The Future

Frank Ocean – Blonde

Lapsley – Long Way Home

Anderson Paak- Malibu

Common – Black America Again

Kendrick Lamar – Untitled Unmastered

Singles

Jules Et Spatz – Rotwii Lied

De La Soul – Exodus

Moderate – Running (AME Remix)

Lee Burridge & Lost Desert – Lingala

Christine and the Queens – Titled

Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis – White Privilege II

Natia Rose – Sqwad

Matronomy – Old Skool

DJ Shadow feat Run The Jewels – Nobody Speak

David Bowie – Lazarus 

  • I decided to leave any tracks that were in my top ten albums off. Essentially, listen to those full albums.

Happy New Year brothers and I look forward to 2017!

Posted in Album of the Month

September: Michael Kiwanuka – Love & Hate

Posted on by GuyHornsby

It’s hard to believe that Michael Kiwanuka was being touted as a next big thing a whole four years ago, by BBC Introducing, hot off the back of a fantastic debut single “Home Again”. I loved that at the time but it’s fair to say I’d forgotten about him in the intervening years.

And so while we fretted about the lack of a physical Frank Ocean album, back he popped again. Not randomly: I’d seen him light up Later… earlier in the year with Black Man In A White World, above. It encapsulated why I loved that single back then and – finally – seemed like we may see more of a next big thing, before he became a “whatever happened to…”?

So what do you get with Kiwanuka? It’s not flashy or hip or cool, but that’s the attraction. Sounding like he’s got one foot in Marvin Gaye’s house and one in a smoky basement club in London, it’s modern soul at it’s best. No syrupy production, and while there’s strings, Love & Hate isn’t pastiche, it’s at it’s best an album that’s accessible from the start, with lyrics and a voice that feel heartfelt and powerful.

There’s a lot to love: from Father’s Child with it’s raw, stripped back opening, opening into a chorus of backing vocals and crisp drums. Or Black Man… a track that feels very prescient in today’s world. I’m also a sucker for a long opening track (see Station To Station or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road), and Cold Little Heart is a thing of beauty.

There’s nothing showy, but really in a world of artifice, PR, overproduction, compression, auto tune, this feels much more authentic than any of that without ever trying too hard. And lord knows we need some of that. it’s helpful that Kiwanuka is a genuinely lovely person. I just wish I’d seen him at Glastonbury now.

I’m starting to fall for this record after only a couple of listens, and that’s not something I say often. I hope you feel the same.