Loyle Carner returns with his fourth album, hopefully !, bringing his trademark earnestness and affable rapping style to the forefront. It’s a stirring record that utilizes jazz chords, breakbeat drums, and live guitars, and it feels like a new chapter, embracing something new.
Over the years, Carner has created deeply thought-provoking music. He’s never shied away from real-life issues, and his music has often tackled themes of memory, identity, and the pressure of fame. With his debut, Yesterday’s Gone, he carved out a lane as a strong, independent voice, and the record received widespread acclaim and was nominated for a Mercury Prize.
Carner is a master of introspection and leaning into his identity. Moments of reflection and rousing lyrics have defined Carner’s music to date. Yet, he never preaches to fans. He speaks his mind in a stream-of-consciousness style that’s quietly powerful. With every release, he’s become more self-aware, and his journey of growth has continued on his latest effort, hopefully !.
The album marks a shift to a more subdued and indie-inspired sound. Carner leans into a more optimistic outlook than past releases, but it’s still grounded in introspection. Crucially, the London-born songwriter has moved away from his comfort zone, expanding his range and even revealing his singing voice. That shift, in many ways, reflects the change in Carner’s own life. Entering his 30s, he’s become a father and uses the record to explore the theme of parenthood.
Carner is moving forward and evolving, and his way with words over a beat has only gotten better. “I watch the sun rise in the east / Sets as the tigers fall asleep, yeah / I’m running from the belly of the beast,” he raps on the second track, “In My Mind”, which is raw and emphatic. Throughout his career, Carner has always shown a level head. His ability to dig deep and use intricate lyrics that flow so coherently has made him the artist he is today.
That has never been clearer on hopefully ! .He’s more refined than in past releases and has become a master of his craft. Where his previous albums captured a young rapper rising through the ranks and trying to navigate life in the public eye, hopefully ! finds Carner totally at ease with himself. The album’s laid-back quality showcases Carner in complete control, and he flows effortlessly across its 11 tracks. However, like every other project, he combines wordplay with emotional depth, pulling listeners in with soul-stirring cadences.
In songs like “Horcrux”, Carner flows over the beat at a dizzying speed, while on tracks like “Strangers” and “Don’t Fix it”, he slows down with a contemplative attitude. These variations in tone and style punctuate the album, but Carner’s signature remains at the core. Instead of retreading old ground, he’s opened himself up and focused on a bigger picture. Carner has stepped into a new frame with confidence, and the record marks a leap forward, bringing in new textures and compositions.
For some listeners, Hopefully! might not enliven them in the same way as Carner’s past releases. It’s less dramatic and more focused. Hugo and Not Waving, But Drowning, spawned several streaming hits, but Hopefully! takes a renewed approach. The record has a sense of awe and wonder, and each song lingers in your head. It’s fair to say that Carner defies expectations and ventures down a different path, but for good reason. As he told Apple Music, “I needed not to take myself so seriously. I think I’m learning to do that. My son was in the studio so much, we were just in a place of living in the moment.”
However, make no mistake, he doesn’t rap through rose-tinted glasses. Carner keeps it real, exploring the struggle of being a dad while holding down a music career. He approaches this topic with playfulness and warmth, steering clear of well-worn narratives about the tension between fame and family life. In “About Time”, arguably the best track, he lets slip, “My son needs a father, haha / Not a rapper, can I give him what he’s after?” Carner delivers his lyrics with style and precision, crafting light-hearted stories tinged with a darker hue. His style is something akin to spoken word, and the influence of poetry is evident throughout, all of which is backed by stellar production.
Loyle Carner is at the top of his game with Hopefully! He’s as sharp as ever and cemented his place in the big leagues. His distinctive voice has been crucial to his rise in music and separating him from his contemporaries, but remaining consistent over the past decade has paid dividends. Hopefully! isn’t just a stylistic shift; it reaffirms his position as one of the UK’s best storytellers. As Carner enters the next season of his career, he makes way for the new while staying true to what made him a breakout star, and he’s taken his lyricism and storytelling to a whole new level.