2022-10-21
Hugo
Loyle Carner
By Maeve C.
Written during lockdown, Hugo is largely autobiographical and deals with Loyle Carner’s estranged father, with whom he had recently reconnected; recordings of his father’s voice are sampled on several tracks. Carner’s son was born in late 2020, and he wanted the album to stand as a true record of his life.
Madlib produced “Georgetown”, which samples the Guyanese poet John Agard performing “Half-Caste”, a poem Carner said gave him permission to write explicitly about being mixed. JNR Williams and Olivia Dean join him on “Homerton”. “Hate” opens the record and was its first single, and the album entered the UK chart at number three.
Sources
Universal Music’s label-owned editorial (uDiscover Music), 22 August 2022: “Loyle Carner Announces October Release For Third Album, ‘Hugo’”, set for release on October 21 (teaser shows 21 October 2022); “Georgetown” produced by Madlib; guests John Agard, JNR Williams & Olivia Dean, Wesley Joseph & Athian Akec.Independent corroboration, 19 August 2022: album “arrives on October 21 via EMI”; “Georgetown” samples John Agard performing his poem Half-caste, which Carner says gave him permission to write explicitly about being mixed.
Corroborates 21 October 2022 (Virgin EMI; AMF, Caroline); written during lockdown; about his estranged, recently reconnected father, whose recorded voice is sampled; first child born late 2020, album meant as a true record of his life; singles Hate (4 Jul 2022), Georgetown, Nobody Knows (Ladas Road); UK No. 3. A search summary mentioned a Wikipedia mirror giving 28 October; English Wikipedia, the label editorial, Rolling Stone UK and the chart below all give 21 October, so the mirror is treated as an error.
Official Albums Chart 28 October–3 November 2022 (first chart week after a 21 October release): Hugo new at No. 3.