Loyle Carner - "Not Waving, But Drowning" (2019)

Not Waving, But Drowning is very much a continuation of Loyle Carner's first album, Yesterday's Gone. Here he is softly rapping over similarly low-key and jazzy instrumentals, about life and love and growing up (much like his debut).

On the lyrical front, love is a bigger topic for this record than the last, as Loyle seems to have entered a new relationship. The opening track, Dear Jean, details as much. It is essentially a poem to his mum about even he's moving out to live with his girlfriend, he is is still going to be around and be apart of her life. This leads into Angle, featuring a hook courtesy of Tom Misch. This track consists of Loyle professing his love, saying "You're my angel" over and over.

Ice Water and You Don't Know are some of the more driven tracks on the record, with stronger beats and a more angsty tone. Ice water covers Loyle's feelings as they first appear, like an energetic sugar rush. You Don't Know covers a contrasting topic, where Loyle and some interests' ideas of a relationship don't match up, where Loyle questions whether this person is really in love and knows what Loyle wants from it. It has a stomping, swaggering horn instrumental and a sassy hook from Kiko Bun. The reverby and vibrato effected instrumental of Sail Away Freestyle make it stand out among the rest of the tracks. This is also one of the more upfront tracks, with Loyle lamenting people who tell him how to 'wisely' use his earnings and people who have come to him now he's a successful rapper.

My biggest criticism with the record is that it sometimes dips a little too into sentimental nostalgia, a line which a feel the debut tread better. Some of the tracks just feel quite 'soppy'. Desoleil (Brilliant Corners) and Loose Ends featuring Sampha and Jorja Smith respectively are the worst offenders. Not that they're bad, by any means, they just feel slightly like a directionless ramble about emotions and people from Loyle's past. The fairly regular occurrence of studio bites or phone conversations as interludes also adds to this. Its not a big issue, but something that is noticeable coming from Yesterday's Gone to this.

Overall, Loyle's sophomore record is just more of what made the debut an enjoyable listen. So if you liked that, you'll like this. It is perfect for chilling too in the evening.

Top Tracks: Angel, Ice Water, You Don't Know, Sail Away Freestyle, Carluccio

7/10