10 Best Genre-Blending Rock Albums Of The 2010s
1. Love & Hate - Michael Kiwanuka (2016)
Love and Hate blew critics away when it was released in 2016. It’s no surprise either; it’s an expertly crafted mixture of Pink Floyd-esque guitar leads, choir backing vocals and plenty of soul.
Michael Kiwanuka’s earlier works often consisted of him, a guitar, and little else. With tracks like Home Again, he demonstrated his ability as a songwriter and showcased the amount of emotion he could convey through his vocal performances. Back then, he sat comfortably in the realm of folk-rock.
But, with this record, he transitioned into one of the great soul singers of today. Benefitting hugely from the richness of the backing band, his voice, instead of being lost, was lifted above by triumphant choir singers that introduced characteristics reminiscent of soul records from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
The title track was arguably the best on the record and maybe one of his most iconic tracks to date. Again, his vocals carry over layers of soulful backing singers. Towards the middle of the track the string section starts creeping in, injecting even more emotion into the track, it’s no surprise this is one of his biggest anthems during his live shows.