Not Waving, But Drowning

Loyle Carner - Not Waving, But Drowning
Critic Score
Based on 17 reviews
2019 Ratings: #645 / 805
User Score
Based on 446 ratings
2019 Rank: #198
Liked by 33 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
The Line of Best Fit

With a title inspired by one of his grandfather’s poems, he has etched his name further into the fabric of music, creating a wholesome space of honesty that has the ability to inspire positivity while tackling heavy themes of pain and frustration.

80
musicOMH
Carner is a genuine talent, and this second album demonstrates just why he’s so highly rated.
80
The Independent

Not Waving, But Drowning has an emotional intelligence that shows just how strong Carner is when he’s at his most vulnerable.

70
AllMusic

All the supporting work is understated and studious, ideally compatible with Carner's substantive ruminations.

70
Clash

He’s managed to successfully replicate the feeling of genuine emotion and human connection that drew listeners to him and his music on his first album, with his second likely to be just as prosperous.

70
Loud and Quiet

Carner holds on to the human warmth that made 2017’s Yesterday’s Gone so special and channels his growing confidence as a storyteller in this stream of disarmingly honest songs.

70
No Ripcord

Not Waving But Drowning showcases why Carner is heralded as one of British hip-hop’s biggest talents, but this isn’t quite the revelation his debut was.

60
The Guardian

A collection of smooth, soft-centred rap that verges on the sickly, with Carner’s genial charisma floating adrift in a sea of sentimentality and nostalgia.

60
DIY

It doesn’t quite match the intensity and impact of his debut.

60
The Observer

For his second album, the 24-year-old’s flow remains defiantly old-school, concerned with language and jazzy storytelling rather than the Autotuned postures that get the streams.

60
NME
With a handful of radiant tunes, and lashings of Carner’s sensitive and witty lyricism, ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’ is an impressive second album. Although at times the momentum of the record stalls, it’s another bold release from one of the biggest talents British hip-hop has to offer.
50
Highsnobiety
It’s important that Loyle Carner is exploring the idea of toxic masculinity through his music, but it’s a shame he’s doing so in such a boring way.
50
Gigwise
He is not a Scroobius Pip, Kate Tempest or Akala, and he is not a Mike Skinner, Dave or Plan B. He may get there, with time, but right now – even if we take Carner's word for it that he is, in fact, drowning, not waving, his music needs more depth before I can join him in that.
MRusso98
90

Even though I keep listening to records and records everyday, I was in a weird spot where everything I heard felt not sizing perfectly with my actual personal state of mind. Loyle Carner made me feel somewhat pure, a feeling I was catching for so long. And I can't thank him enough for that.

FAVORITE TRACK: Loose Ends

Birdal
81

What the fuck is wrong with the Guardian?

jlebon
82

Loyle Carner’s meditation on identity compacted into a soothing 48 minutes creates an album that, above many others, has really stuck with me since that very first listen

classity
86

I find it quite funny this is lower rated than Yesterday's Gone for a lot of people, despite the tracklist rating being consistently higher across the board here, Yesterday's Gone has some magical songs in it but as does this, far more often, this project offers a far smoother ride of Carner's defined sound, everything across it is extremely wonderful work and awesome to chill out to. Maybe it doesn't go as strong on the deep messages with only a couple of tracks doing so but there is no ... read more

jlebon
82

Loyle Carner’s meditation on identity compacted into a soothing 48 minutes creates an album that, above many others, has really stuck with me since that very first listen

Benji247295
76

Great album

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Added on: March 21, 2019