Loyle Carner’s raucous and explosive new single, ‘Hate’, marks a divergence from the relaxed, boom-bap centred production of his 2019 release, Not Waving but Drowning.
Although different to the sound Carner has become renowned for, ‘Hate’, maintains a lyrical potency. If anything, the South-Londoner’s newfound direction elevates his lyrics; his outpour is supplemented by an eerie vocal chop and knocking drums.
Produced by Nick Mills, Earl Saga and Kwes, the track explores Carner’s experiences during his two-year hiatus. He covers feelings of confusion, anger and anxiety towards his personal life and racial prejudice, whilst also acknowledging the relationship between fear and hate and how these two emotions can intertwine.
His lyrical honesty is mirrored in the accompanying self-directed music video, where a crazed Carner rages in a car, on a road to nowhere. The song’s stream of consciousness is reflected in a scene where other ‘Loyle Carner’s’ struggle for the car’s wheel. Like the song, the accompanying video emphasises how internal voices affect one’s mental state.
If the emotion of this track is anything to go by, we can expect a more aggressive and upfront LP in the future – which still maintains the vulnerability that Carner is loved for.
Words by Harry Eddy
“Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.”