Tuesday 24 May 2011

Michael Kiwanuka - New Waves

There’s something very special about Communion Records. Rather like Bella Union they’re a label that just seems to ooze quality and in Michael Kiwanuka they’ve found another gem. His debut EP Tell Me A Tale, which is released on the June 13 is head and shoulders above the crowd.

Like a lazy autumn Sunday afternoon Kiwanuka’s music is full of laid back, effortless beauty and deserves to be cherished. Featuring pattering drums, flutes, guitars, soft brass and a wonderfully warm voice the cuts on his EP are organically faultless - a mix of 60’s jazz, soul and pop. This is a man blessed with real talent, something which we confirmed a couple of weeks ago when we caught a short acoustic set of his at The Great Escape in Brighton – and he could easily find a loving audience on the likes of BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.

If we were to compare Kiwanuka to Bill Withers and Otis Redding it may seem like high praise indeed, but it’s fully deserved for the songs, the voice and the musicianship here are all top notch. The 23 year old Londoner recorded the tunes on his EP with Paul Butler from The Bees in Paul’s homeland of The Isle Of Wight. Since then travels further than the three miles across the piece of water known as the Solent have entailed, as Kiwanuka was asked to support the globe conquering, chart busting and frankly amazing Adele on a number of shows, including some in mainland Europe.

Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale

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