An artist whose soul reveres the creative process, the unending marathon of the work, and the magic of inexplicable bursts of inspiration; that’s who Michael Kiwanuka is, and his latest work on the album Small Changes exemplifies this divine combination of artistic endeavour and revelatory spark.

Following the glittering acclaim for his 2019 LP KIWANUKA, Michael Kiwanuka finds himself in a new era of life; one especially marked by fatherhood and a move to Southampton. Complemented by the production chops of Danger Mouse and Inflo, Kiwanuka’s real life changes are represented in a stylistic shift that differs Small Changes from his previous work. Where you might’ve found yourself tapping your pen on a desk to drum crispy and bold instrumentation from KIWANUKA, the tonal downshift of Small Changes might have you humming along to the quietly uplifting strings and fuzzy riffs that decorate the album’s deliberately crafted and serene soundscape. While Kiwanuka’s sound has veered in a bit of a different direction, it has been a long time in the making. Tracking his public growth as an artist going all the way back to 2011, Kiwanuka now more than ever leans into the warm sonic influences of his idols with shades of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Frank Zappa present in his new music. He also points to 70s afro-rock group Amanaz as being influential to the easy listening Small Changes provides, especially with reference to “Lowdown (part i)” being a “sort of throwback to that time in your life when you’re essentially a slacker in retreat from the world’s expectations.”

In keeping with the soulful sound that Kiwanuka embraces on Small Changes, his lyricism and thematic focus places him in a contemplative, observant, and inspired space with an ever-flowing, open heart for those close to him. Without pretentious connotation, Kiwanuka positions himself in a progressively mature light as he exhibits his nuanced understanding of lifting oneself and one another up, co-dependence, and love. On “The Rest Of Me”, Kiwanuka’s crooning floats us through the ridges of his mind as he speaks on the inherent personal evolution that comes with having one’s heart earnestly intertwined with another, all while laid upon an earworm of a bass line married with soft yet punchy percussion. Dreamy harmonisations and a luscious use of guitar on “Floating Parade” provide an idyllic foundation on which to discuss the metaphysical space we occupy when our minds are in need of a release, as he flexes his intricate outlook on unity being a tool with which to ward off anxieties. Without being overly verbose, Kiwanuka walks the line between being a narrative storyteller and purveyor of proverbs; he exudes profundity and universal simplicity in his work all in the same breath.   

While he’s kept diligent listeners waiting for his return to the spotlight, Michael Kiwanuka arrives once again with a fleshed out and refined perspective on all that he’s faced and how all that will serve him as he continues his journey. Soul-bearing as ever, Kiwanuka comes off as unafraid of change, be it small or large; rather, he seeks to glean all the lessons he can in the face of uncharted territory so that he can empower his own creative engine as he pursues further enlightenment. The weight of the subject matter and majesty of production on Small Changes may suggest a severe and somber mood at first listen, but it’s truly the opposite which is true. Simply put, Michael Kiwanuka is putting his highly trained musical prowess to work and lulling listeners into a suavely dressed exploration of his inner monologue as he continues to grow into the man his experiences have shaped him to be.

Here, there is no obfuscation, immaturity, or surface level interrogation of the humanity Kiwanuka speaks on. At the same time, he invites us to pull up a chair by the fire and listen as his sound waves of thought wash over us. Soulful to the core, Small Changes feels like a perfect segue into an even more successful and creatively gratifying phase of Kiwanuka’s career.