Monday night I went to Loyle Carner’s EP launch at Birthdays (Dalston) and it absolutely blew me away. Though he politely apologised for his nerves at the start of the gig – this was his first headliner – he needn’t have done. Slick, smooth, and inspiring throughout.
I spoke to Loyle on twitter last December and he assured me that just after Christmas there would be new tracks. 8 months later, and available for free download here, his aptly named EP ‘A Little Late’ has now dropped and is fantastic.
Thoughtful and melodic, Carner’s rhymes take us on a journey of love, life and loss. His real talent lies in his excellent delivery – spoken word, repetition, and a hazy and refreshing South London sound. At a time when people are scrutinizing UK hip-hop ‘A Little Late’ has dropped an atom bomb on the scene.
Rebel Kleff is the production force behind most of Loyle’s tracks and it turns out he’s also pretty good. His collab with Carner on ‘The Money’ is all about ‘making money for my fam’ and for me, comes a strong second after ‘Cantona’, even though choosing a favourite isn’t really possible.
Both ‘BFG’ and ‘Cantona’ are stories about Loyle’s late father who is the driving emotive force behind a lot of what he does. At his EP launch he even wore his father’s Man U shirt. But it is in such tracks that his charisma and intricacy vow to overpower any overwhelming feeling of sadness for the listener. Instead, they remain engaging and fun; he’s creating nothing short of masterpieces.
But what really struck me on seeing Loyle Carner was his sweet, humble demeanour. I wasn’t alone in feeling inspired by his incredible yet very human performance. He mentioned that he and his dad always dreamt of sharing a stage together; and I have absolutely no doubt that they will share many, many more.
Huge shout out to Loyle Carner, remember the name.
FIRST EAR 