Album Review: Michael Kiwanuka, Love & Hate

It's four long years since Michael Kiwanuka's Mercury-nominated debut Home Again hit the shelves. But the Londoner hasn't been sitting around twiddling his thumbs; album number two is a mature collection, and proves well worth the wait.

Epic opener 'Cold Little Heart' sets the tone; a hypnotic instrumental builds for four minutes before the singer's soulful vocal emerges, complete with haunting choral accompaniment. "Did you ever notice, I've been ashamed," he darkly intones. And so begins 'Love & Hate', an honest baring of an often restless soul. There's the rousing, political, first single 'Black Man In A White World': "I'm in love but I'm still sad/ I've found peace but I'm not glad."

This sense of unrest seems to feature in Kiwanuka's personal life too: he's a lone wolf on the delicate, string-laden 'I'll Never Love', and again on the sultry soul of 'Falling' ("I'm a man who belongs alone/ thought that was plain to see"). A personal, thoughtful and impressive comeback.