Loyle Carner - "hopefully !" (2025)

Loyle Carner's third record, 2022's Hugo, stuck with me a lot more than I thought it was going to. That album pushed Loyle into a more upfront and commanding space, with more intense instrumentals and tighter, more focused writing and theming. It makes sense, with the album focusing on the meaty topics of Loyle's mixed race heritage and Absent father. Hopefully ! flips the coin right over, mainly revolving around Loyle becoming a father, and the struggles and upsides that parenthood brings. As such, this is Carner's most settled and content release so far, and sonically the most low-key his music has ever been.

I enjoyed the singles as they rolled out, and left me intrigued as to the direction as a whole. They were all very low-key, somewhat trip hop inflected tunes with a moody and smoky atmosphere. It left me wondering whether there was going to be anything even akin to the loose and jazzy highlights of the first two records, let alone the bombastic soul-inspired instrumentals of Hugo. Lead single all i need is about uptempo as it gets, with it's scratchy breakbeat, and multitracked and reverb laden synths and vocals. in my mind, which was released as the b-side and precedes all i need on the album, is a much more dreamy and hypnotic track fitting for a song about being stuck in your own head. The other singles continue down this path. The closer, about time similarly features a very gentle hi-hat rhythm, subtle twinkling keys and reverb heavy acoustic guitar. It's one of the more lyrically upfront tracks on the record, with Loyle detailing the lessons he's learned balancing a music career and fatherhood and how he's going to pass that on to his children. It's a very wholesome way to end the record.

The rest of the record follows in this suit. The gentle, formless, somewhat ambient intro to the opener feel like home teases in the record before a skittering beat pulls the song (and thus the album) into life. However it feels like its over before it really gets going. Similarly, strangers and don't fix it don't really come together into anything much of anything. horcrux brings back some of the jazz rap vibes with it's syncopated drum beat and loose piano chords. The tempo and intensity of the song slowly progresses into one of the more attention grabbing songs on the record. The very raw and intimate neo-soul vibes of purpose give of massive To Pimp a Butterfly vibes, which I will always be a massive sucker for - and so is an album highlight for me

I think hopefully !'s biggest problem is that that while all these songs are perfectly up to Loyle's usual standard when taken individually, they don't really come together into anything more impactful or notable. I have been listening back through the rest of Loyle's discography while writing this and as chill as they can be, they just had a bit more oomph and drive to them. hopefully ! feels a bit indulgent in that regard, and reminds me a bit of the rough around the edges releases that many artists released around lockdown that lacked the polish or fanfare of a major new LP. It is still perfectly enjoyable while it is on, and much like the rest of his records, works perfectly as late night wind-down music to chill out to. Check it out if you're a fan of Loyle or chill hip hop in general, but don't expect it to move the needle either way.

Top Tracks: in my mind, all i need, horcrux, purpose, about time

6/10

Air - "Moon Safari" (1998)

What is this? An older record on the blog? This hasn't happened in like 4 years! I am going to see Massive Attack in a few weeks and I have been listening through the supports, one of which is Air, a French electronic act who debuted in the late 90s with this record, Moon Safari. Apparently the band is fairly acclaimed within the scene, and so I'm surprised this is my first time coming across them. Maybe it's just the Anglospheric bias of British music tastemakers and historians.

On listening to Moon Safari, I feel like it is representative of the watershed moment in the late 90s where the very localised Bristol-based trip hop scene was adopted into the more mainstream friendly, broader downtempo genre. A lot of the grimier, more dangerous soundscapes that characterised the work of Massive Attack, Portishead and UNKLE were toned back and replaced with looser, jazzier samples that fitted better to the Ibiza clubs that were playing this music in their chill-out rooms. However Moon Safari maintains a weirder edge that lost just a year later with the likes of Moby and Groove Armada releasing their very successful and very palatable downtempo tunes (Porcelain and At the River respectively).

Similarly, as you would expect from a French act, there is certainly a French pop flair to Moon Safari compared to their English contemporaries. It is a very gentle, smooth and sensual record; completely eschewing the more neurotic song topics and musical elements that the trip hop scene was known for. Not a single drug reference or scratchy drum breakbeat in sight. Instead elegant strings and smooth saxophones occupy the mix. The opening cut, Le femme d'argent, swoons in with a gentle conga rhythm, a smooth, funky bassline and and a jazzy keyboard riff. There's no vocals, no real melody, just loose noodling set against the tight rhythm section. A simple string backing and bubbling effects get introduced as the song progresses, giving a little more depth and progression to the mix. Its a very suave and sophisticated sounding tune. Sexy Boy on the other hand is much more passionate and sensual. The whining guitars and intimate female vocals give off a much more urgent and seductive vibe.

All I Need featuring Beth Hirsh definitely feels the closest to British trip hop with its very stripped back production and moody, yearning vocal performance that with a passing listen you could easily mistake for Portishead's Beth Gibbons or Elizabeth Fraser who featured on many a trip hop tune. You Make It Easy also features Hirsh on vocals, which sounds very Portishead if I say so myself. It's a good tune and a highlight of the second half. Talisman is a low key, bluesy number which again feels quite moody. The strings start to ramp up towards the end of the song which adds some tension and drama to the track. Ce matin-là on the other hand, is the most chilled out song on the planet with its strummed acoustic guitar and gentle trumpet motif. It sounds like an M&S summer food advert.

Not everything is a winner though. Kelly Watch the Stars is a bit of a departure for the record, with it's squelchy synths and robotic vocals sounding more Daft Punk than downtempo. It's not bad but it doesn't really retain the relaxed and elegant vibe of the tracks that proceed it. Similarly, the robotic vocals on Remember are more distracting than they add to the atmosphere of the song. On the whole, the back half of the album feels quite safe and unchallenging. It does start to sit in the background, which I get is the point; but when I give it my entire focus I'm left wishing the songs just went a little further and made more of an impact.

On the whole, Moon Safari is a good album and I can see the acclaim it received mostly off the back of the first three tracks. It certainly highlights the difference between the influence and 'importance' of a record, and the overall impressiveness of a record from front to back. Well worth checking out if you like chill electronic music, but don't expect it to be a profound boundary pushing experience.

Top Tracks: Le femme d'argent, Sexy Boy, All I Need, You Make it Easy, Ce matin-là

7/10

Arlo Parks - "My Soft Machine" (2023)

Arlo Parks burst onto the scene with quite the splash in 2021 with her debut record, Collapsed In Sunbeams - winning the Mercury Prize and a Brit Award. It was not hard to see the appeal of that record, with Park's soft and earnest vocal delivery set against very light and summery vaguely trip-hop and soul inspired instrumentals. The songs dealt with quite heavy topics surrounding loss and mental health in a very frank and honest way which has clearly resonated with a lot of people. However, it never quite clicked with me. While there are some highlights, and the record is generally pleasant throughout, I found the record the record quite safe and one-note. The lack of sonic variety in the instrumentals meant they started to run together by the end of the album, and Arlo's lyrical and vocal style felt a little played out. She remained calm and cool throughout, preferring to tell us about her struggles in a very gen z 'therapy speak' kind of way, with no real change in dynamics or expression across the record to really show us the challenges she has been through.

My Soft Machine is certainly a step in the right direction, at least on a musical front. The record expands Arlo's sound to incorporate more elements of synth pop and funk, with a stronger, glitchier trip-hop feel to the beats and even a smattering on indie rock to a couple of the tracks. On the whole the instrumentals feel more fleshed out with more distinct tones and textures to each song. The shimmering synths of Impurities is contrasted nicely against rumbling bass and 90's power pop explosion of Devotion. Which itself is miles away from the squelchy synth funk of Blades. I wouldn't say any of the instrumentals are anything particularly special (and the back end is certainly a step down from the first half), but the variety helps set them apart from each other and the debut.

Lyrically and vocally, however, is very much more of the same from Arlo. Her vocals gently glide on top of the music, never breaking the vibe of the music. I can see how this is the appeal of her as an artist, but tracks like Purple Phase and I'm Sorry just glaze right over me leaving little impression. The best songs on here are the ones that really go for having a big catchy chorus, the aforementioned Blades and lead single Weightless. The soaring vocals and glitchy, chopped up backing vocals sounds like what I would imagine a CHVRCHES trip-hop song would sound like. Phoebe Bridger's shows up to perform backing vocals on Pegasus and has a nice chemistry with Arlo and provides some more meatiness to the vocal presence on that song. It's also a novelty to see Phoebe on a primarily electronic track.

Unfortunately, past Pegasus there isn't much for me to get into on the record. Dog Rose is a very run of the mill jangle pop tune and beat on Puppy is pretty repetitive. The song is just over 3 minutes but feels so much longer. The record limps off with its two most lowkey cuts. Room (Red Room) is smothered in reverb to the point that it all just smooshes together. Ghost brings back the synth funk and trip hop vibes, but the track is so unremarkable for the closer, it just feels like something is missing from it. It would work better if there was a more monuments penultimate song for it to work as the unwinding moment that follows, but the last song with any amount of energy was Dog Rose. 

My Soft Machine feels like a bit of a sidestep, musically it's more varied and fleshed out, but I'd hardly say its more ambitious. And on the whole I'd say the debut has a more consistent baseline of quality, even though the highs here are higher. Blades and Weightless have entered my summer playlist, but I don't think I'll be coming back to the full thing. It's all just very listless and low stakes. Arlo Parks remains an artist I like a lot more in theory than in practice.

Top Tracks: Blades, Weightless, Pegasus

5/10

Primal Scream - "Screamadelica" (1991)

 

It's time for another record from my 100 albums bucket list poster, being Primal Scream's Screamadelica. This is the group's third record, and the one which broke them into the mainstream, incorporating house and other forms of dance music into the band's more traditional indie rock and neo-psychedelic approach. The record spawned the massive singles Movin' on Up, Come Together and Loaded that are absolutely everywhere; and are the tracks from the record that I was already familiar with going in. The album, quite uniquely, was written as more traditional rock songs and then reassembled into these sprawling dance tracks by producers Andrew Weatherall and Hugo Nicolson (plus a few guests). This approach gives the album a certain loose and organic feel to it, with the more natural instrumentation and samples giving a lot of texture as opposed to the more robotic and rhythmic nature of nature of late 80s and early 90s house.

The loose party atmosphere is evident from the opening jangles and Rolling Stones-esque, gospel inspired piano chords and choral backing vocals of Movin' on Up. The track layers up into this euphoric and anthemic climax that acts as an invitation into the album, with the promise that its gonna be a good time. The vibe is instantly switched up into the neo-psych meets dub meets acid house banger that is Slip Inside this House. Originially a 60s psych rock song by the 13th floor elevators, its not as high energy as Movin' on Up but more hypnotic and spacy. Don't Fight It, Feel It is more indebted to house with it's four to the floor beat, powerful soul vocals and percussive piano hits; however this also slips through multiple sections that become increasingly enchanting as they layer up. It remains interesting and super groovy for its entire 7 minute run.

At this point in the record, the band decide it's time for the first downtempo comedown to allow us to catch our breath with Higher Than the Sun. This track actually has two versions on the record, with this first one produced by ambient house innovators, The Orb. This version is much shorter than the second one, produced by Weatherall, but I think I like it more. It's dark and spacy, with these trip-hop style breakbeats and weird ambient noises. Inner Flight builds on this, turning the dark ambience of Higher Than the Sun into a more melodic and uplifting interlude. There's no vocals on the track and it sort of functions as a reset from the first leg of the record before the twin centrepieces of the record, Come Together and Loaded, barrage in with the most anthemic and feel-good party anthems the album provides.

And barrage in they truly do. Come Together opens with a building synth line and a sample of a speech by Jesse Jackson (a US political activist) where he narrates the unifying and collective experience music provides to society. The drums slowly creep in, then does the piano notes, then the wobbly psyched out synths. It builds and builds for 5 minutes, before the hook of the song rears its head and all of the tension is released. It's such a patient and well constructed dance track that keeps interest for its 10 minute runtime without throwing the kitchen sink in. Loaded goes even harder, with its iconic "We want to be free to do what we want to do, and we want to get loaded" sample and the bombastic "I've gone all delusional" hook that just pumps you up so hard against the dramatic horn sections and the return of the bluesy, gospel outro style of Movin' On Up. This time it goes even more massive and anthemic though. It really is one of those songs that turns everything up to 11 and somehow it not only works but blows your head off as well.

The back end of the record functions as a comedown from the unbelievable high of Loaded, with the acoustic ballad of Damaged; the aptly titled I'm Comin' Down; the second version of Higher Than the Sun; and the closer Shine Like Stars. Damaged and I'm Comin' Down feature far more traditional instrumentation and strip down the neo-psychedelic elements which grounds the album in the real world for a little while, and Damaged is actually a really good bluesy ballad, even if it's a stark left turn from the rest of the album so far. I'm Comin' Down makes more use of additional instrumentation and effects, but is even more melodically simple and low key. It almost feels a little too slow at points, although the track does pick up towards the end with a cool wonky sax solo. Higher Than the Sun (A Dub Symphony in Two Parts) is slower and spacier than its earlier counterpart, with a lot of reverb on everything. The breakbeats are more smothered on this versions, and it features a central break which then builds into a bassier second half. This version certainly has more elements to it than the Orb version, but it doesn't really come together into anything particularly satisfying. This leads into the closing track, Shine Like Stars, which is probably the most forgettable song on the record. It features Bobby Gillespie wistfully singing over a simple beat and psychedelic effects and really doesn't go anywhere to be honest.

It's a shame Screamademica ends on its weakest couple of tracks because the first 3/4 of it bangs so hard. It's a really great dance record that incorporates so many styles and moods that it doesn't get repetitive or tiresome. It's iconic for a reason and great record for summer. I keep coming back to it and Loaded might be the best track to start a dance party playlist with.

Top Tracks: Movin' On Up, Slip Inside this House, Don't Fight It, Feel It, Higher Than the Sun, Come Together, Loaded, Damaged

8/10

Massive Attack - "Protection" (1994)

Massive Attack's sophomore album, Protection, for me really sits between Blue Lines and Mezzanine, in both its sound and how I feel about the record. The groups style has evolved from the more embryonic version of trip hop present on Blue lines; with the dub, soul and hip hop influences more seamlessly merged together into something darker and more brooding. Yet the album doesn't possess the alien and suffocating atmosphere that runs through much of Mezzanine, and made it so utterly captivating. It's still a really great listen though.

The record opens up on its best, the absolutely fantastic title track. Tracey Thorn's soothing vocals glide over a reverb heavy drum loop and an emotional synth chord pattern. Other elements come and go in the mix, building up to a swell during the chorus. The nearly 8 minute track gives so much time to be absorbed by its atmosphere and heartfelt lyrics about caring about someone and wanting to protect them. Karmacoma follows, contrasting the serenity of Protection with a dubby, tropical atmosphere. It has this cavernous, repetitive sounding percussion and weirdly distorted synths that crop up during the chorus. Thorn also provides vocals for the track Better Things, a minimal and laid-back tune. A simple guitar loop provides the backbone for the song, with the occasional swell of synths or guitar as flourishes. It is all about vocals here. Tracey croons over the mix about not overthinking life and provides the mantra of "Here me say, better things will surely come my way" as the hook.

The tracks Three and Sly feature Nicolette Suwoton on vocals, and both have a mysterious, Middle Eastern vibe to them. Sly in particular is accentuated by lavish strings, making the track sound effortlessly cool, like it should accompany a globe trotting film where the protagonist has found some mysterious hidden city in the desert. Three has more of a synthetic feel to the instrumentation, with a rigid electronic beat and a looping sample of someone saying "Three", repeated into a chant that fades in and out. It certainly makes the track feel less cinematic, but no less mysterious. Euro Child also has a very synthetic atmosphere to it, with the group gently rapping over the grimy beat. There's some melody in this track that sounds almost like vocals, but they are processed to the point that its hard to tell. These are juxtaposed a lounge-esque keyboard line, which gives a very weird off-kilter quality to the song; as if its trying to lure you in despite its harsh and rigid atmosphere.

The penultimate track, Heat Miser, is much closer to the tense claustrophobia of Mezzanine. Ventilated breathing appears at the back of the mix alongside a rigid beat. A dramatic string part accentuates the main piano melody of the song, which itself is intense and spooky. The actual closer is a live, dub cover of The Doors' Light My Fire. It's a great cover, but does feel like a bonus track (even though it's part of the regular track listing), since it is far more lighthearted and fun than the rest of the album.

While I feel like my perception of this album is slightly affected by experiencing Mezzanine first (as everything the group do here is done even better on the next record), it is still a really well executed record. The sounds of this record ebb and flow, and take you on a moody and atmospheric unwind. It also strikes me as an interesting listen from the perspective of the band's sonic development over their first three records. There is a clear progression between each album, yet the development is very linear - there's no real detours into completely different genres along the way. And the title track is so good it makes a listen worth it just for that.

Top Tracks: Protection, Karmacoma, Better Things, Euro Child, Sly, Heat Miser

8/10

Massive Attack - "Blue Lines" (1991)

Continuing on with my '100 albums you need to listen to' poster, and also Massive Attack's discography, I have jumped from Mezzanine to the band's debut, Blue Lines. This record is generally considered the origin point for trip hop, and so a more embryonic form of the genre is on show here. The genre's hip hop and dub elements are more clearly on show here than in later records, and the fusion between them is more fractious. Some tracks have a much stronger hip hop vibe, and some lean into soul, dance and dub, but these influences aren't as combined as they would later become in the genre.

Safe From Harm opens up the record with this rolling bass line and drum rhythm, with Shara Nelson's soulful vocals contrasting against the chunky synth lines and rhythms. It's very much a blueprint for the 'Massive Attack sound' going forward. One love follows a reggae beat with Horace Hinds' crooning on top, yet the tune is more chilled and stripped back than full on dub. Five Man Army is much heavier, with dubby bass and psychedelic effects floating around all over the mix. Horace's and Tricky's vocals play off each other, rapping in different registers in a call and response style. The title track is near enough a jazz rap song, where the group raps in a very 90s style over a funky beat and soothing lounge-esque keys. Be Thankful For What You Got and the single that put the band on the map, Unfinished Sympathy, are much more soulful. Unfinished Sympathy is particularly intense with swelling strings sitting on top a relentless percussion loop and sampled ad-libs from Mahavishnu Orchestra's Planetary Citizen. Shara Nelson returns for a emotional gut-punch of a performance, singing the hook "Really hurt me baby" with so much passion and intensity.

Daydreaming has a dreamy chord progression and eerie background vocals from Nelson. The group's rapping also is very dream-like on this track, floating from one topic to another, and features references to The Beatles and other famous songs. Lately has a slight R&B vibe to Nelson's vocals and melody, but the chunky beat and squelchy bass steer the song in a more spacious direction. The album closes with Hymn Of the Big Wheel, which sounds like synth-pop meets reggae. It's quite a triumphant way to end the record, with lyrics dealing with the idea that the world keeps turning, despite anyone's troubles - so you should try to enjoy yourself as much as you can despite whatever is going on. 

While Blue Lines is not as complex or intensely enveloping as Mezzanine, the more chilled out and straightforward approach make it an easier listen to throw on in more situations. I don't feel I have to give it all my attention to maximise my enjoyment. It's also engaging to see the starting point of the genre, where its influences are more clearly on show.

Top Tracks: Blue Lines, Be Thankful For What You Got, Five Man Army, Unfinished Sympathy, Daydreaming

8/10

Portishead - "Dummy" (1994)

Portishead's debut album, Dummy, is the record which broke trip hop into the mainstream, winning the Mercury Prize in 1995. I've been really enjoying having it on when I've been working or just chilling out to in the evenings. The band incorporate elements of film noire aesthetics to the standard trip hop fusion of break beats, electronica and jazz to create a smokey and introspective atmosphere unique from many other trip hop acts of the time.

The incredibly low bass and roughly produced drum beats give off a slightly industrial vibe across the record, like some heavy machinery working quietly in the night. Ominous and spooky synths layer on top smothering the mix like a thick fog, with Beth Gibbons' vocals gliding on top with plenty of  breathing room. Her lyrics detail isolation, longing, desire and self reflection.

Despite maintaining a consistent aesthetic across the 11 tracks, each one has unique flourishes which maintains my engagement. Mysterons opens the album with some spooky synths which rise and fall, creating a kind of alien vibe. Sour Times has a low-fi beat with a smooth guitar and bass, while Gibbons' sings the hook "Nobody loves me, it's true, not like you". The film noire feel really comes across in this track, I just get the sense of some dark seedy club. Numb and Wandering Star have the hip hop style scratches which give the tracks a sense of 'bounce'. The beat doesn't come in right away in It's A Fire, leaving Gibbons' vocals alone with organ sounding synths. The chord progression they follow gives a quietly triumphant sound to the song. Roads benefits from an even slower pace than usual trip hop and a simpler mix, allowing Gibbons' incredibly sad vocals to shine through over the vibrato affected chords and guitar. A sax sample breaks out half way through Pedestal, and Strangers has a lot of funky guitar and horns in the mix. The closer, Glory Box is louder than the other tracks with this screeching guitar over the top of the groovy sample of Isaac Hayes' Ike's Rap II. The track even ends with a big drop and breakdown before fading out.

This album is incredibly low key, but that's the point. It has a great late-night atmosphere to wind down and chill out to. It easily works in the background, however has a lot of subtleties which provide an engaging experience when you pay attention to it. The film noire vibe really comes across in the music, giving it a dark and moody edge that some might not like, but I think really adds to the engagement I have with the record.

Top Tracks: Mysterions, Sour Times, Strangers, It Could Be Sweet, It's A Fire, Numb, Roads, Pedestal, Glory Box

9/10