“I’m young, Black, successful and have a platform – but where do I go next?” Loyle Carner
Loyle Carner explores the answer in his third album, hugo, with a sense of urgency which is both personal and political. The former is reflected in the lyric ‘You can’t hate the roots of a street, and not hate the tree. So how can I hate my father without hating me?’ and the latter ‘I told the black man he didn’t understand I reached the white man he wouldn’t take my hand.’
In sharp contrast with his previous albums, hugo is a coruscating journey into the heart of what it means to be alive in these tumultuous times, and one which looks set to neatly cement his position as one of the most potent and vital young talents around today. Working alongside renowned producer kwes. (Solange, Kelela, Nao), Carner leaves no stone unturned on this album, in both its sound and its stories. In a 10-track album that moves from gorgeous neo-soul moments to thundering hip hop, with immediate, infectious bangers and sampled interludes from non musicians (mixed-race Guyanese poet John Agard and youth activist and politician Athian Akec) Carner shifts seamlessly from micro to macro, confronting everything from strained relationships with family to the societal tears caused by class stratification.
Aspects of Loyle’s personal life are revealed, sometimes in painful, deeply uncomfortable ways, focusing on his experience of becoming a father in the context of growing up without contact with his biological father. With the song “Polyfilla”, against the backdrop of a warm melodic beat, Carner explores his desire to “break the chains in the cycle” of dysfunctional Black fatherhood, commenting on the narrative of fatherhood in the genre, and saying a key part of the process was realising that his father “grew up in a world where nobody showed him how to love or nurture”.
The follow-up track “A Lasting Place” is an exploration of the MC’s failure and inability to be perfect in this mission. The album closer is a powerful statement of love and forgiveness; with his signature lyrical dexterity, Carner declares his relentless commitment to his son and sees forgiving his father as a key part of this. The song closes with an emotional ending of Carner telling his dad “still I’m lucky yo that we talk”.
The album is really a message for young Black men and anyone else who listens – about building strong relationships, going for our goals and standing up to injustice.
“Loyle delivers nothing short of a masterpiece in the form of turbo-charged verses about his inner anxieties” – Wonderland
“Guilt, fear and indignation combine in this powerful new track from the south London artist” – The Observer
“This fervent and full-bodied single marks an exciting change of pace for the south London rapper previously known for his mellow beats” – The Times
“A tightly wound track that reflects the myriad thoughts, worries and irritations that seem to have been bubbling away beneath the surface” – Complex UK
“Brimming with fury and emotion, but backed against lush orchestration, it’s a deft juxtaposition that sets up his new chapter poignantly” – DIY Magazine
“An exciting, vital taste of what’s to come” – Dork Magazine
“Loyle Carner channels fury, injustice and anxiety in typically poetic style on ‘Hate’” – Daily Star
“The latest track from the multi-talented south London songwriter is a vulnerable and fearful snapshot of being black and British” – i News
“Against a scuffed but sturdy breakbeat, Carner ponders the blinkered aspirations sold to black Britons, as well as his own conflicted feelings about race. A riveting screed” – The Guardian
Tour Dates:
23 Feb Newcastle City Hall
24 Feb Liverpool The Mountford Hall
25 Feb Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse
27 Feb Glasgow O2 Academy
28 Feb Sheffield O2 Academy
2 Mar Norwich UEA
3 Mar Leicester O2 Academy
5 Mar Brighton Dome
6 Mar Nottingham Rock City
8 Mar Birmingham O2 Academy
9 Mar Bournemouth O2 Academy
11 Mar Cardiff Uni Great Hall
12 Mar Bristol O2 Academy
15 Mar London Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
16 Mar London OVO Wembley Arena
25 Mar Leeds Belgrave Music Hall
26 Mar Leeds Belgrave Musc Hall
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