Small Changes. Michael Kiwanuka

Small Changes was one of the bigger releases in the fall. It took Michael Kiwanuka five years to come up with the follow up album to 'Kiwanuka', which was my first album by him. Bought on a wim as I needed a third album in 3 for €25 offer. It turned out to be the best buy of the three. I still play it regularly and now there's Small Changes. It took me a few days before I could buy it and listen enough times to write about it. That moment is there today.

Michael Kiwanuka tells the world that for Small Changes he went back to basics. That may be, I am not familiar with his first two albums. What I hear, is a very, very soulful album by a singer with a super-iconic voice for this kind of music. The music is so easy going, so relaxed, that it is almost a wonder that it is not utterly boring. In fact, it is all but. The singer and his two producers, Danger Mouse and Inflo, have created a musical world to wallow in. To never get back from.

Some of the songs are, as it were, cut in half by razor-sharp guitar solos. Take the one in the title song. The song superbly plays in its lower mid-tempo and then slash, out comes that guitar; and without upsetting the listener. That is the true quality of the production. (Early January 2025. And then I ran out of time to finish the review mid-December, so I left it for weeks. Time to catch up.)

As a singer Kiwanuka sounds cool, calm and collected. It's only on the surface, is my guess. The guitar is a dead giveaway of course but also he has this slight quiver in his voice every once in a while. I do not know a lot about Michael Kiwanuka. The two interviews I remember reading tell me of someone who to all appearances seems insecure of his art. As if he is still in search for something that he found a long time ago. The fact that he is found in the upper regions of our Dutch musical at the end of the year lovefest called the Top 2000, tells you something of the stature he already has over here. Not in his mind it seems.

After 'Kiwanuka' which musically is a tougher album, Small Changes is a far smaller album, very laidback and aimed at late night listening, when the day is done and a listener does not want to go to bed yet but also not get agitated. Granted, it will work under other circumstances as well, but this is a late night album, like some by Marvin Gaye are, except, I do not like albums by Gaye. Michael Kiwanuka has enticed me to listen to him. It's time to start listening to his second album as well, as that is the Top 2000 one.

At face value, there is little to write on Small Changes, as not much is happening. All is delicate and in great taste, with small references to Nick Cave albums even. Listen to 'Rebel Soul' to hear what I mean. Or a softer version of the Air/Serge Gainsbourg (clan) bass. Little giveaways of Kiwanuka's influences? It is exactly the this good taste that makes me come back to Small Changes. What I am sure of, is that I will keep coming back to Small Changes for some time and that the album may end up a lot higher, should I at some point be asked to revise my best albums list of 2024. And allow me to end with a prediction. 'Low Down, part 1 and 2' will be the next entry in that Top 2000 next year. If there's a Michael Kiwanuka song deserving it....

Wout de Natris - van der Borght