A portrait of an artist in-progress — still learning, still adapting and still evolving rather than staying complacent and safe once set

A mostly brilliant effort from Michael Kiwanuka that serves as a showcase for his improvements in songwriting, as well as his ear for great melodies

This LP seems to have more of a hazy, late night essence. There is still an underlying melancholia but there is something lighter and hopeful. The strings are euphoric, the extended codas are extravagant and kaleidoscopic, stretching out for ever and ever in a glorious wall of sound, as on ‘Just Another Moment’

A creative partnership's end – and new beginnings. Print edition only

A record of sprawling and elegant songs that invoke a sense of loss, confusion and hard goodbyes

It is, unmistakably, a Michael Kiwanuka project, a feat achieved even in the face of the changes occurring behind the boards. He has earned the right to wander

Count-ins from the recording sessions, bits of conversation, or things that sound like a tape being loaded throughout the record. These little intentional details add a rawness to the recordings that mirror the emotional vulnerability in his songwriting and vocals

Fudge hardly resembles a low-budget effort, nor is it truly anomalous in the context of Kiwanuka's catalog. It largely consists of plaintive ballads -- fully formed hybrids of soul, folk, and roots rock teeming with heartache, doubt, and weary resolve

Kiwanuka sounds spiritually at home and much the better for it. Print edition only

Sombre and reflective songwriting from a modern soul great

Its release delayed by ill health, Kiwanuka’s latest was made in tandem with 2024’s Small Changes – but it’s much more than a mere companion album

Releasing the album not long after revealing that he had suffered a stroke and was unsure of when he would recover, the artist offers us a reminder of his remarkable gift

Delayed following his recent stroke, Michael Kiwanuka’s fifth album presents the singer at his rawest

Still in recovery from a life-shattering stroke, the Mercury Prize winner offers a deeply poignant, lyrically brilliant glimpse into his state pre-illness

Recorded just months before the singer suffered a catastrophic stroke, this album is a renewed reminder of his unbelievable talent

It’s perfect listening as the seasons turn and the world seems harsh, real soft music for hard times