Michael Kiwanuka first came to my attention as a viral ad at the beginning of some YouTube videos I was browsing. Hmmmm, he's good, I mused before forgetting about him. To be fair it was only a brief snippet and it was to be a couple of weeks before I came across him again and this time I heard enough to want to know more.
Michael is the latest signing to Communion Records (one of my favourite labels, as they are also the home to Treetop Flyers amongst others). This guy has one of the true soul voices - think Terry Callier, Al Green or Bill Withers - which belies his age. At just 23 Michael is the son of Ugandan immigrants and he grew up in London dreaming of becoming a footballer. As a teenager he struggled to find his cultural identity (listening to everyone from Radiohead to Nirvana, Blur, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix) and he set out to be a session musician who wrote the odd song for other people (for a time he worked for Tinie Tempah's producer Labrinth). It was when he discovered a rare track by Otis Redding on a CD that came free with a magazine that decided to make a go for fame on his own terms.
His current EP, Tell Me A Tale, which was released in June, was produced by Paul Butler of The Bees (more of them later) who took Michael to the Isle of Wight to record his songs in their studio. I've already mentioned the soulful sound but there are also some jazz touches on there - Michael admits to being a huge jazz fan. The songs are performed in that wonderful laid back style that can't help but remind one of long hot summer days. (Remember them?) You can watch the Tell Me A Tale video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTa28a8QKo4
Michael says that there should be another EP released around August/September time and then the album should follow by the end of the year or the beginning of 2012 at the latest. I am certainly looking forward to that.
http://michaelkiwanuka.com/
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