The ultimate goal of many albums is to make you feel something: whether it be joy and optimism or pain and melancholy, music is often the lens through which we process our own emotions. The same can be true for the artists themselves: on his fourth album, UK rapper Loyle Carner is wearing his heart on his sleeve like never before. New record ‘hopefully !’ is, without a shadow of a doubt, a poignant exploration of family and the role of the father, even if the project’s musical qualities aren’t always pulling their weight.

‘hopefully !’ often feels less like a conscious hip-hop album, and more like an introspective indie outing— this is the most stripped-back and intimate Loyle Carner has ever sounded, going to even greater lengths than 2022’s ‘hugo.’ The record hosts a massive number of guest musicians, all doing their part to add to the syrupy, soft soundscapes on offer. Lo-fi is the name of the game here, with the sorrowful guitar chords and paired-back drums on a cut like ‘time to go’ sounding akin to something from King Krule: it’s an idea Carner runs with, soaking the album in so much reverb, you’d swear he was gazing down at his shoes the entire time. Whether the listener is sinking into the wistful acoustic guitar parts of ‘lyin’ or the stylish piano chords of ‘purpose,’ it’s undeniable just how readily the album commits to its mellow presentation.

That aesthetic will only get you so far though— almost like a mirror to his self-reflective themes, Carner’s absolute faith in this sonic palate has him falling on his sword in places. ‘hopefully !’ is aiming to be an honest and heart-wrenching thematic showcase, sure: that’s more of an excuse for its overly muted soundscapes than it is an explanation though. There isn’t all too much, in a musical sense, that separates one track from the next across these eleven songs— despite its shifting instrumentation, the project fails to shake itself of a hesitance, a cautiousness that deprives it of the musical highs that predecessors like 2019’s ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’ relished in. From the washed-out keys of ‘feel at home’ all the way to the gentle bass lines of ‘about time,’ the music of ‘hopefully !’ is driving in a single, unchanging direction: cohesiveness be damned, Carner arguably overcommits to the simplification of his own writing.

What those stripped-back palates do accomplish, though, is the setting of a mood: they’re a door, through which Carner is sending some of his most thoughtful and well-considered thematic explorations to date. The album’s cover is a dead giveaway that the rapper’s newfound responsibilities as a father play heavily on Carner’s mind throughout the project, feeding into his lyrics— on ‘feel at home,’ we’re treated to an adorable ode, of sorts.

“Yeah, what language do they speak inside your dreams?

Is it really just as easy as it seems?

How you make it seem, like the day is make believe

As these angels speak, I hear them, in between, yeah”

‘hopefully !’ resists the pull to dwell on the happiness brought about by these circumstances, or the anxiety of new responsibility— as its title might imply, it’s a cautious optimism that shines through these eleven songs. Carner’s delivery really brings the best out of every moment, joyful or despairing. There are very few fancy flows or moments of extravagant wordplay to be found here: the focus is on the intimacy, and the rapper’s honest delivery and earnest singing fit the project wonderfully as a result.

This is not a record about the artist’s son though, at least not directly— ‘hopefully !’ dives headfirst into the rapper’s own insecurities, fears and drives, exploring them in a manner only he could. The album is full of refrains and hooks that feel like an anchor for a world adrift: Carner voices many of the anxieties that run rampant across the world when he sings “feel like my world is changing” and “hours turned to days: we feel like strangers.” The record is a poetic one, certainly, but seems unafraid to lay its most poignant of messages out bare for all to see.

“Does a bird know he's lucky that he flies

Or is he looking down jealous in the skies?

If he knew, would it be part of his demise?

It's funny how a few words ruin a surprise”

There are big questions being asked here: just take ‘purpose,’ which sees Carner admitting that he “couldn’t find the meaning.” There aren’t all too many answers presented throughout ‘hopefully !,’ though anyone entering the project looking for some grand revelation is surely missing the point: the focus is more on the journey than the destination, with the record making art of self-discovery. Even still, the attempts that ‘about time’ makes to tie up these heavy themes are heartwarming, bringing family back into the spotlight once more.

“Don't tell me that you wouldn't do the same ('cause you would)

If you had a chance to make a name

If you saw the beauty in the pain

I’m trying to make a little money for my people who remain”

‘hopefully !’ has a singular focus: this is less of an album and more of a confessional, enjoyed more easily as a piece of spoken word than as a musical exercise. Carner’s lyrical choices pair well with the muted soundscapes he’s employing here, even if one of those elements is far more appealing than the other, and it’s easy to imagine many fans feeling lost in the shuffle. It’s for its tenderness, its intimacy, its humanity that ‘hopefully !’ earns its keep within the Loyle Carner discography.