On Love/Hate Pt 2, Xenia Manasseh blends themes of love and self, allowing the two to collapse into each other seamlessly.
By Frank Njugi
Whenever I listen to songs by the Kenyan-Ugandan singer-songwriter, Xenia Manasseh, I am reminded of a quote by the late English art critic, John Peter Berger. In his 1972 book of essays, Ways of Seeing, Berger wrote that ‘a woman is almost continually accompanied by her own image of herself’.
Xenia Manasseh’s music often feels like a thesis on how, as she moves through the world, her steps are accompanied by a silent echo of her own image in relation to her experiences and relationships—reflections that both inspire and challenge her sense of self.
In September 2023, the artiste released her debut album Love/Hate Pt. 1. A project that she used to reiterate an artistic identity. Xenia is an artiste who takes the insular phenomenon that is the exploration of love in music, and excels well above the certain unstated antagonism that may accompany it in Kenyan and East African music.
In the album’s second iteration, Love/Hate Pt. 2, which she released this past Friday, she introduces another defining artistic aesthetic. This time, Xenia Manasseh blends themes of love and self, allowing the two to collapse into each other seamlessly.
The intro song to the album, “Sober,” showcases her as a musician with an astute ability to hook a listener from the get-go. Her vocal deftness is visible over breezy invocations of contemporary RnB. This results in a lingering sweetness, which makes you anticipate what is to come. With a beaucoup swagger, she metaphorically describes the euphoria that comes with being in love as similar to being drunk.
The follow-up track, titled “Asali”, features a hybridised sound with a jittery tempo, backed by syncopated rhythms reminiscent of Afrobeats. Xenia Manasseh presents the song as one that speaks to hope and naïveté, exploring the kind of affection one wishes would remain harmless.
In Love/Hate Pt. 2, she collaborates on three singles. The first, “Dare You”, features Nigerian artiste, Waye, and blends feathery sweet vocals with Ragga-inspired beats. Both singers express an imperturbable sense of self-assurance, emphasising their resolute spirit as they face potential challenges from lovers.
The other features come in the tracks “ChXmistry” and “Still Love.” Xenia collaborates with her longtime collaborator, Nairobi-based DJ and producer, Ukweli, and London singer-songwriter, Malika Hamzaa, respectively.
In “ChXmistry”, Ukweli’s layered harmonies and rhythmic instrumentation provide a dynamic backdrop, with subtle nuances like soft synths and gentle percussion enhancing the feeling of intimacy that Xenia Manasseh conveys through her lyrics. Meanwhile, in “Still Love”, Hamzaa’s performance stands out, shining even more than Xenia, despite Xenia being the lead artiste.
This is in terms of her expressive vocals which soar effortlessly over a slow tempo beat with a soulful ethereal lightness — an angelic warmth. Similar to “ChXmistry”, the track is also about intimacy. This time the two explore aggrievements experienced as a result of close, familiar, and affectionate or loving personal relationships.
The expression of personal experiences in relation to relationships with others is also evident in the singles “Longer” and “Hush.” These two songs might be intertwined, as they work with edgy soundscapes that imbue a sense of measured reflection. In them, Xenia primarily describes the feeling of being stuck in a loop with a love that’s uncertain.
In “Longer”, she reflects on affections she deems unworthy and the elusive journey towards making difficult choices regarding such feelings. Following this, “Hush” provides an alternative to the decisions mentioned in “Longer”; Xenia suggests that keeping the affections a secret—keeping them ‘Hush’—might be the solution.
The tracks “Fire”, “Bad Side”, and “Fight for You” showcase a brilliance that is more anchored in production than in thematic depth or vocal flexing, as seen in the other tracks. “Fire” features a tempo that recreates the rhythm and blues of the 2000s, characterised by a distinctly light touch of moody, atmospheric pop-based synthetic sound. Meanwhile, “Bad Side” incorporates a piano-infused sound juxtaposed with a beat that features a high-midrange kick drum-like sound with a sudden, clicky impact.
It features a voice sample of a well-known humorous phrase by Kenyan politician, Millie Odhiambo Mabona, which adds pizzazz to the song. “Fight for You” retains the bullet-like click but, this time, features a slowed-down tempo. Through lush vocals in all three songs, Xenia narrates her moments of doubt and vulnerability, as well as her conviction, creating an intimate space within her music for honesty to shine.
“Act Like A Fool” and “Phases,” the outro song, may be the tracks that provide the necessary affirmative cheer to the delightful offering of the entire album. “Act Like A Fool” showcases Xenia Manasseh’s vocal agility over a jazzy polyrhythm.
She sings of her displeasure with herself and a lover for displaying a lack of judgement or awareness in certain actions within their relationship. “Phases”, which was initially released four months ago as the album’s lead single, caps off the album ardently with soulful, bright, and vibrant guitar notes. Through her lyrics, Xenia drifts through various moments of uncertainty and reflection, revealing a strong yearning for clarity, sincerity, and meaningful exchanges in a romantic connection.
A blend of raw honesty and artistic refinement is bound to result in great musical offerings. Love/Hate Pt. 2 is all about personal experiences and universal truths, whether relating to ‘Love’—which is Xenia Manasseh’s forte—or the unique life events, situations, and moments that shape an individual’s life perspectives.
The only downside to this sophomore project might be the fact that the new album is the final instalment in the Love/Hate series—a box set of two albums that have been nothing less than a showcase of extravagant self-consciousness, rendered in atmospheric, expansive, and edgy soundscapes. It is proof of an artiste with reverence and a distinct artistic DNA. This conclusion reiterates that audiences should eagerly anticipate the unfolding of even deeper brilliance from Xenia Manasseh beyond the Love/Hate album series.
Lyricism – 1.5
Tracklisting – 1.6
Sound Engineering –1.6
Vocalisation – 1.8
Listening Experience – 1.6
Rating – 7.9 /10
Frank Njugi is a Kenyan Writer, Culture journalist and Critic who has written on the East African and African culture scene for platforms such as Debunk Media, Republic Journal, Sinema Focus, Culture Africa, The Elephant, Wakilisha Africa, The Moveee, Africa in Dialogue, Afrocritik and others. He tweets as @franknjugi.