loyle carner’s ‘not waving, but drowning’ has arrived

Loyle Carner’s new album Not Waving But Drowning is out and the always soulful and refreshingly open rapper’s latest music does not disappoint. If you listen to Carner’s tunes then you have visited the cozy South London universe he so generously welcomes us into. We know his mum (Jean), his little brother, his late father, and even his pup. He gives us updates on his life – still grieving, but full of love. In this project we are introduced to his missus and get to meet more of his friends like Jorja Smith and Sampha as well as OG’s like Tom Misch, Jordan Rakei and Rebel Kleff still around, of course.

The album’s title come from the poem by Stevie Smith. If you need to know anything about this album please listen to the very special interlude included called “Not Waving, But Drowning” in which Smith describes her poem in her own words:

“I read about a man getting drowned once

His friends thought he was waving to them from the sea but really, he was drowning

And then I thought that, in a way, it is true of life too

That a lot of people pretend, out of bravery really

That they are very jolly and ordinary sort of chaps

But really they do not feel at home at all in the world

Or able to make friends easily

So then they joke a lot and laugh

And people think they’re quite alright and jolly nice too

But sometimes that brave pretense breaks down

And then, like the poor man in this poem, they are lost

Not waving, but drowning”

Download the latest window into Carner’s world HERE.