It feels like each new Michael Kiwanuka soul-folk song I’ve heard so far has been post-worthy, making the decision over which tracks to pluck off his pair of debut EPs — Tell Me A Tale and I’m Getting Ready — more of an exercise in inspired restraint than distilled praise. That said, this month he made the process easier by sharing both sets in full. While the first release’s title track remains a standout, these two not-so-hidden gems deserve a shout as well: the soul-searching, midtempo “Worry Walks Beside Me” (above) and harmony-laden “I Need You By My Side” (below), both cuts featuring fresh arrangements on the soothing undercurrent of his earlier material.
Meanwhile, Kiwanuka’s debut full-length is in the works for a 2012 release via Cherrytree Records.