Loyle Carner was everything we wanted him to be and more at the Palais Theatre on July 27.
Loyle Carner’s discography is the ultimate in laid-back, introspective, and emotionally resonant rap, incorporating elements of jazz, soul, and alternative hip-hop into his music – our personal highlight, Nobody Knows (Ladas Road), sampling the iconic Louis Armstrong song – creating a soulful sound with strong parallels to Common.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
His beats are often mellow and jazzy but at the Palais Theatre backed by a tight band (which happens nowhere near often enough at hip hop concerts, by the way), his music was much more than just a smooth backdrop for his thoughtful and sincere lyrics – he had the crowd in the palm of his hand and could wind them up and settle them down with ease. We also have to save special mention here for encouraging everyone to break the Palais rules and dance in the aisles, forming a mosh of sorts up the front. It really added to the atmosphere and the fact he started (nearly) crying at one point really signified just how special the atmosphere in St Kilda was.
One of the defining characteristics of Loyle Carner’s style is his deeply personal and honest storytelling – hence the resonance. He raps about his own life experiences – family, love, loss with veiled references to suicide, and subsequently mental health. His music tends to be introspective and vulnerable, giving listeners a glimpse into his world and emotions and his stage persona is no different. This is a guy who didn’t fit in as a youth in South London, he never suited the depictions of masculinity around him, and unlike most hip hop artists, he excels without any of the pretensions that in his hands, only serve to demoralise the genre and enforce unhealthy stereotypes.
There is always a place – a celebrated and cathartic place – for gangsta rap and grime – but in the live setting Carner proves that hip hop is so much more emotionally versatile than that.
Check the latest Loyle Carner news and tour dates here.
