Meantime (EP)

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Meantime is the second EP by British producer and musician Kwes. It was released on 30 April 2012 through Warp Records and runs 16 minutes and 54 seconds. The EP, which sits in a pop and experimental space, followed Kwes’s debut No Need To Run and was recorded in London during 2011–2012.

Some early demos for Meantime were written as far back as 2008, but they were accidentally wiped from Kwes’s computer. He finished the EP in January 2012 while also working on productions for DELS, Speech Debelle, Sunless ’97, and DRC Music’s Kinshasa One Two. For Meantime, Kwes sings more than on his previous releases, something he describes as honest and challenging. He has cited Robert Wyatt as a major influence in his decision to use his voice.

The title Meantime has a double meaning: it can point to Kwes’s London home region and also to the EP as a stand-alone project before a full album. The music blends warmth with a variety of styles, moving from pop to prog-rock and from house to R&B. It uses electronics but aims for a human, warm feel rather than a cold synth vibe. Themes on the record are hopeful, embracing imperfection and personal growth, with inspirations from Stevie Wonder and Brian Wilson.

Critics have praised the record as meticulous and able to shift between genres. The closer track “LGOYH” has been singled out for its lasting impact. The song “Honey” riffs on unrequited love with a playful idea inspired by the Beach Boys. The single “Bashful” was released on 7 March 2012.

Kwes’s track “LGOYH” also caught the attention beyond the album: Kanye West and his tour DJ Mano sampled it for Pusha T’s song “Who I Am” on the album My Name Is My Name. Credits for the EP are listed on Discogs.