Welcome back to the Daily Spin. For the uninitiated, this is the series in which I review an album every day of 2025.
As was the case two years ago, my favorite song from each album can be found at the playlist linked here.
Album: Not Waving, But Drowning (2019)
Artist: Loyle Carner
Link:
There are a lot of things that the Brits, as much as I have my issues with them, do very well. Colonialism, electronic music, oppression, beans on food beans shouldn’t be on. That kinda thing.
Unfortunately, rap is not generally on that list. I love a lot of the beats that come out of the scene, in part due to the heavy influence of electronica in major UK rap and hip-hop movements like drill and grime, but the lyricism often leaves something to be desired - even the most heavy of hitters come up a little light when you’re dropping unironic “oi bruvs” in the chat.
Loyle Carner’s sophomore effort is no different - with beautiful production and alluring hooks, the pieces are there to find something really great, but this winds up being a little bit of a miss, as the soulful feeling can only overcome so much of the inherent goofiness at hand. Poetry takes you some distance into the heart, but cannot tread water infinitely.
Rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: Loose Ends
Worst Tracks: Krispy