Michael Kiwanuka, KIWANUKA, Not So Mini Review


Michael Kiwanuka
KIWANUKA
Not So Mini Review

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Listen on Apple Music

Out of all of the mini reviews I had set out for this week, KIWANUKA had to be the one I looked forward to reviewing the most.

I remember when this album was released and giving it a fairly thorough listen. But for whatever reason, I only paid interest to the more upbeat tracks, some examples being "You Ain't The Problem", "Rolling", and "Hero".

And with that, I quite carelessly dismissed this album and decided against reviewing it. Because at the time, my mentality towards KIWANUKA was while the highlights on the album were marvellous, they didn't come frequently enough for my liking.

I am quite frankly relieved, however, to get the chance to review this album, as it has recently begun to grow a hell of a lot more on me. It took me long enough to open up to KIWANUKA, but I now recognise just how spectacular this album truly is.

Listening to just how much emotion and heart had been poured into the tracks, I really wanted to delve into the context behind this album, and do a little bit of research.

An interview between Michal Kiwanuka and NME really sums up why the album has such a genuine and uplifting feel. The main theme behind KIWANUKA, is self-acceptance, and the album goes about this in a wholesomely triumphant manner. Even the album's title is a means to defy the idea of having an alter ego; it is simply his surname.

And I feel that the main reason that this album eventually connected with me as a listener so much, was that I too, am slowly attempting to be a bit more self accepting, and I feel like I connected with much of the lyrical content that this album has to offer. So in terms of sentiment and connection, this album absolutely triumphs.

Other areas where this album triumphs greatly is with its interludes (some of which are addressed as intro's). I would even argue that these are the best interludes I have heard on an album this year. They do marvellously at transitioning one track to the other, and each of them feel like an important part of the overall project.

The flow of the tracks doesn't simply stop with the interludes however. A good example of two tracks that connect really well with each other are "Rolling" and "I've Been Dazed". These tracks almost feel like two parts of one larger song. "Rolling" is the more upbeat and groovy track, while "I've Been Dazed" is far slower, and more majestic sounding. But both share a similar melody. I feel like this is only one example of the structural creativity that impressed me so much with this album.

KIWANUKA is a joyfully phenomenal therapy, which never fails to lift my spirit each time I listen to it. I am now only enjoying it more and more, to the point where I think it may be one of the best albums of 2019.

Favourite Track: Hard To Say Goodbye

Thank you for reading.

Booth Boy

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