Love & Hate

Michael Kiwanuka, 2016. Solo by Michael Kiwanuka.

Over a slow gospel-tinged build, the song's guitar solo adds grit and urgency to its seven-minute arc.

Love & Hate builds slowly over a gospel-tinged backdrop, and its guitar solo adds grit and urgency to the song's seven-minute arc. Michael Kiwanuka's playing is raw and expressive, with a gritty tone and bends that feel like cries of frustration and hope. The solo rises out of the choir and strings, cutting through the lush arrangement with sharp, bluesy phrases. It highlights the song's themes of inner struggle and resilience. Listen for how the guitar enters after the long build, adding a jolt of energy, and how its jagged phrases contrast with the smooth backing vocals to create tension before the song's final resolution.

Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka is featured in our Neo-Soul (#14) list. The solo is played by Michael Kiwanuka and the song was released in 2016.

In our lists

• The 20 Greatest Neo-Soul Guitar Solos — #14

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