#12
Loyle Carner
Yesterday's Gone
(AMF)
When the majority of people view hip hop they are greeted by the screams of artists like Eminem and Kanye West, but for those who are patient they will discover artists and albums with true depth and meaning. This is where you will find Loyle Carner and his album Yesterday’s Gone.
Upon first discovery this album is likely to be defined by the singles, Isle of Arran or No CD, but upon deeper hearing you almost get the impression that it was made the day after the studio was robbed and Carner only had the most simplistic instruments to use.
This is the story of the artist. Each song is written in such a way that its seems like they were composed whilst he was living the experience, such as Swear in which his depicts a conversation with his mother about her foul language. Others depict him telling the story years after the event, including Ain't Nothing’s Changed where he talks of his student days as if he is now an older, more cynical version of who he was , as well as the song The Isle of Arran where he comments on how he was abandoned by so many around him and that hr no longer cares.
Whilst this album is immensely personal and self-centred, it is also fleeting. Loyle Carner has clearly seen two paths for his future and has used each prediction to his advantage. The first path would see Carner fading from view, with only this chapter of his life story to know him by. The more optimistic, and likely, path is that whilst he will continue to make music it may not be about himself but about people or issues and things external to him.
