Loggerhead (album)

Last updated

Loggerhead
Loggerhead (album).jpg
Studio album by
Wu-Lu
Released8 July 2022
StudioThe Room, Hither Green
Length41:26
Label Warp
Producer Wu-Lu, Amon
Wu-Lu chronology
S.U.F.O.S.
(2019)		Loggerhead
(2022)		Learning to Swim on Empty
(2024)
Singles from Loggerhead
  1. "South"
    Released: 7 February 2021
  2. "Times"
    Released: 14 April 2021
  3. "Broken Homes"
    Released: 21 November 2021
  4. "Blame"
    Released: 4 May 2022
  5. "Scrambled Tricks"
    Released: 21 June 2022

Loggerhead is the second album by South London musician Wu-Lu. It was released 8 July 2022 by Warp Records, and was his first with the label after releasing his debut album, Ginga, independently in 2015. Writing and recording for the album began in London, though mainly took place in Norway. Musical collaborators include featured vocalists Asha Lorenz, Amon, Lex Amor, and Léa Sen, as well as Mica Levi, two members of the band Black Midi, and Wu-Lu's brother Benjamin Romans-Hopcraft.

Contents

Five singles were released prior to the album, each with a music video directed by either Denisha Anderson or Ethan + Tom. The album was received positively by critics and was nominated for multiple awards by the American Association of Independent Music and the UK's Association of Independent Music.

Background

Loggerhead is Wu-Lu's first album released with Warp Records, who he signed with in 2021, [1] having previously released the album Ginga and the EPs N.A.I.S. and S.U.F.O.S. independently in the 2010s. [2]

Recording

While hanging out in an empty pub in 2020, Wu-Lu determined the space would be good for recording in. He hired a mixing desk and invited his band to jam. [3] In a session running through the night until 7 a.m. the next day, the band had written the riff for "Broken Homes". [3] Continuing sessions led to noise complaints, so the band left London for a new space in Norway where they recorded 40 demos over a month. [3] Twelve songs were selected from those demos, solidifying the track list for Loggerhead. [3] The singles "South" and "Times" were all recorded at The Room in Hither Green, a studio and rehearsal space run by Wu-Lu and Kwake Bass. [4]

Release

Three songs from the album were released as singles prior to the album's announcement. The first, "South", features Lex Amor and was released 7 February 2021. "South" came with a music video directed by Denisha Anderson, and was described as having a "trip hop post-punk mix, with shades of Tricky and Martina Topley-Bird." [5] "Times", featuring drums by Black Midi's Morgan Simpson and a music video directed by Ethan + Tom, came out on 14 April. [6] "Broken Homes" was released on 21 November alongside the announcement of Wu-Lu's signing to Warp Records and came with another music video directed by Anderson. [1]

The album was announced on 4 May 2022 for an 8 July release by Warp Records. The album's fourth single, "Blame", was released the same day with another Anderson-directed video. The music video also featured the album cut "Ten". [2] The fifth single, "Scrambled Tricks", was released 21 June with a second music video by Ethan + Tom featuring Wu-Lu being attacked by a gang of clowns, with visuals reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre . [7] [8]

Reception

Loggerhead ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.8/10 [9]
Metacritic 83/100 [10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [11]
Clash 8/10 [12]
Crack 8/10 [13]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The Line of Best Fit 9/10 [15]
Loud and Quiet 9/10 [16]
Pitchfork 7.3/10 [17]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [18]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Loggerhead received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 83 out of 100 from 6 critic scores. [10]

Awards and nominations

Loggerhead awards and nominations
YearOrganisationAwardWorkStatusRef.
2022 AIM Independent Music Awards Best Independent Track"Broken Homes"Nominated [19]
UK Music Video Awards Best Rock Video - Newcomer"Blame"Nominated [20]
2023 Libera Awards Best Punk RecordLoggerheadNominated [21]
AIM Independent Music Awards Best Independent AlbumLoggerheadNominated [22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wu-Lu with additional writers noted. All tracks produced by Wu-Lu, with track 3 also produced by Amon

Loggerhead track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take Stage" 3:00
2."Night Pill" (featuring Asha Lorenz)Lorenz3:40
3."Facts" (featuring Amon)Amon3:26
4."Scrambled Tricks" 2:22
5."South" (featuring Lex Amor)Lex Amor3:54
6."Calo Paste" (featuring Léa Sen) 3:27
7."Slightly" 3:01
8."Blame" 3:03
9."Ten" 1:55
10."Road Trip" 4:00
11."Times" 5:19
12."Broken Homes" 4:19
Total length:41:26

Personnel

Musicians

  • Wu-Lu – vocals, bass, producer, audio engineer
  • Demae Chioma Wodu – vocals (1)
  • Asha Lorenz – vocals (2)
  • Amon – vocals (3)
  • Lex Amor – vocals (5)
  • Léa Sen – vocals (6)
  • Ego Ella Uche – vocals (1, 7)
  • Dr Unkle – vocals (4)
  • Jordan Thompson Hadfield – guitar (2, 3, 10), synthesiser (12)
  • Matthew Antony Kwasniewski-Kelvin – guitar (3, 4, 8, 9)
  • Tagara Mhiza – bass (2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12), vocals (4, 9)
  • Jaega Francis McKenna-Gordon – drums (2–4, 7–9, 12)
  • Blake Joshua Cameron Cascoe – drums (5, 8–10), vocals (9)
  • Giles King-Ashong – drums (5)
  • Morgan Simpson – drums (11)
  • Jason – percussion (2, 12)
  • Raven Bush – strings (1, 6)
  • Mica Levi – strings (6)

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Loggerhead
Chart (2022)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [23] 49
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [24] 8

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amon Tobin</span> Brazilian musician

Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin, known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian electronic musician, composer and producer. He is noted for his unusual methodology in sound design and music production. He has released eight major studio albums under the London-based Ninja Tune record label. He has also released two albums under the alias Two Fingers with collaborator Doubleclick. His latest release, Nomark Selects V.1, was released on April 28, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warp (record label)</span> British record label

Warp Records is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon. It is currently based in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Black Dahlia Murder (band)</span> American melodic death metal band

The Black Dahlia Murder is an American melodic death metal band from Waterford, Michigan, formed in 2001. Their name is derived from the 1947 unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, often referred to as Black Dahlia. Currently, the band consists of lead vocalist Brian Eschbach, bassist Max Lavelle, drummer Alan Cassidy, and guitarists Brandon Ellis and Ryan Knight. The Black Dahlia Murder has undergone various lineup changes, with Trevor Strnad and Eschbach remaining the only constant members, until the former's death in 2022, which then saw Eschbach take over lead vocals and Knight replacing him on rhythm guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amon Amarth</span> Swedish melodic death metal band

Amon Amarth is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band takes its name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Viking mythology and history, and so they have been sometimes erroneously labeled "Viking metal", although the band prefers the term melodic death metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lawrence Arms</span>

The Lawrence Arms are an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. They have released seven full-length albums and toured extensively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molotov (band)</span> Mexican rock band

Molotov is a Mexican rock band formed in Mexico City in 1995. Their lyrics, which are rapped and sung by all members of the group, feature a mixture of Spanish and English. The band members also switch instruments and roles depending on what song they are performing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodagreen</span> Taiwanese band

Sodagreen is a Taiwanese indie band formed in 2001. Its members have been unchanged since 2003. Sodagreen emerged in the Taiwanese indie music scene after receiving the Grand Jury Award in the Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival in 2004, after which it signed a contract with Willlin Music. The band is the first indie band to hold a concert in the Taipei Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicide Silence</span> American deathcore band

Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released seven studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the Revolver Golden God award for "Best New Talent" in 2009. The group currently consists of guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, bassist Dan Kenny, vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida and drummer Ernie Iniguez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breathe Carolina</span> American electronic music duo

Breathe Carolina are an American electronic music duo from Denver, Colorado. The duo formed in 2007 consisting of David Schmitt and Kyle Even. They later expanded to a full band whose best-known lineup included Schmitt, Even, drummer Eric Armenta, keytarist Joshua Aragon and DJ Luis Bonet. In 2013, Even left the group, while Tommy Cooperman joined that year. Breathe Carolina is currently composed of Schmitt and Cooperman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Amity Affliction</span> Australian post-hardcore band

The Amity Affliction is an Australian post-hardcore band from Gympie, Queensland, formed in 2003. The band's current line-up consists of Ahren Stringer, Joel Birch, Dan Brown (guitar) and Joe Longobardi (drums). The Amity Affliction has released eight studio albums including Severed Ties (2008), Youngbloods (2010), Chasing Ghosts (2012), Let the Ocean Take Me (2014), This Could Be Heartbreak (2016), Misery (2018) and Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them (2020). They are known for their highly personal songs, often dealing with depression, anxiety, death, substance abuse, and suicide, many lyrics stemming from vocalist Joel Birch's past struggles. The Amity Affliction released their latest album, Not Without My Ghosts, on 12 May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amon Amarth discography</span> Cataloguing of published recordings by Amon Amarth

This is a discography for the Swedish melodic death metal band Amon Amarth. The band is from Stockholm and was founded in 1992. Their lyrics mostly deal with the Vikings, their mythology and their history. The band comprises vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström, and drummer Jocke Wallgren. Amon Amarth has released twelve studio albums, one compilation album, three EPs, one video album, and twenty two music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shinobi Ninja</span> American rock band

Shinobi Ninja is an American rock and hip hop band from Brooklyn, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Set It Off (band)</span> American rock band

Set It Off is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach Dewall, and drummer Maxx Danziger.

<i>Renacer</i> (Senses Fail album) 2013 studio album by Senses Fail

Renacer is the fifth studio album by American post-hardcore band Senses Fail, released on March 26, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown the Empire</span> American metalcore band

Crown the Empire is an American metalcore band from Dallas, Texas formed in 2010. The band comprises vocalist Andrew "Andy Leo" Rockhold, guitarist Brandon Hoover, bassist Hayden Tree, and drummer Jeeves Avalos. They are currently signed to Rise Records and have released five studio albums. Their most recent studio album, Dogma, was released on April 28, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jockstrap (band)</span> Musical duo from London

Jockstrap are an English musical duo consisting of Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye, who met at London's Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2016. The duo's music combines Ellery's half-whispered vocals and string arrangements with Skye's electronic production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squid (band)</span> British post-punk band

Squid are an English post-punk band from Brighton, England. Consisting of lead singer and drummer Ollie Judge, guitarists Louis Borlase and Anton Pearson, bassist Laurie Nankivell and keyboardist Arthur Leadbetter, they are currently based in Bristol.

<i>Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)</i> 2020 studio album by Kali Uchis

Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (stylized as Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞; transl. Fearless (of Love and Other Demons)) is the second studio album and first Spanish album by American singer Kali Uchis, released on November 18, 2020, through Interscope Records, EMI Records and Universal Music Group. The album, which is Uchis' first record predominantly sung in Spanish, was supported by three singles, "Aquí Yo Mando" with Rico Nasty, "La Luz" with Jhay Cortez, and "Telepatía". The album was also preceded by the promotional single "Te Pongo Mal (Préndelo)" with Jowell & Randy. The album features guest appearances from PartyNextDoor, Rico Nasty, Cortez, and Jowell & Randy. The album peaked at number 52 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Reason to Smile</i> 2022 studio album by Kojey Radical

Reason to Smile is the debut studio album by British rapper Kojey Radical, released 4 March 2022 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize and nominated for Album of the Year at the 2022 MOBO Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wu-Lu</span> Musician from South London

Miles Romans-Hopcraft, known professionally as Wu-Lu, is a musician from Brixton, South London. He has self-released one album and two EPs, and released his first album with Warp Records, Loggerhead, in 2022. His music covers a wide variety of genres, including several types of hip hop and rock, though he is most commonly associated with punk rock.

References

  1. 1 2 Urban, Mike (21 November 2021). "South London artist Wu-Lu releases "Broken Homes" and signs to Warp Records". Brixton Buzz. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 Helfand, Raphael (4 May 2022). "Song You Need: Wu-Lu takes out his miscommunication anxiety on the track". The Fader . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kalia, Ammar (16 August 2022). ""Maybe we'll become a genre": Wu-Lu, the punky lo-fi hip-hop star moving fast to transcend labels". The Guardian . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  4. ↑ Cashin, Cal (14 July 2021). "Wu-Lu: community spirit, post-genre creativity, and rose-ringed parakeets". Loud and Quiet . Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Song of the Day: Wu-Lu: "South" (featuring Lex Amor)". Song Bar. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  6. ↑ Fu, Eddie (14 April 2021). "Wu-Lu Quietly Rages on Simmering New Song "Times"". Consequence . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "Wu-Lu Returns With "Scrambled Tricks"". Clash . 21 June 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ↑ Helfand, Raphael (21 June 2022). "Wu-Lu gets jumped into a clown gang in "Scrambled Tricks" video". The Fader . Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Loggerhead by Wu-Lu reviews". AnyDecentMusic. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Loggerhead by Wu-Lu Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  11. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "Wu-Lu - Loggerhead". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  12. ↑ Sutton, Naima (7 July 2022). "Wu-Lu - Loggerhead". Clash. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  13. ↑ Balram, Dhruva (11 July 2022). "Wu-Lu's Loggerhead: A blistering takedown of austerity in London". Crack. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  14. ↑ Grice, Alisdair. "Wu-Lu Loggerhead review". DIY. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  15. ↑ Kuscher, Oliver (4 July 2022). "Loggerhead confirms Wu-Lu's brilliantly fierce individuality". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  16. ↑ Cashin, Cal (4 July 2022). "Wu-Lu - Loggerhead". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  17. ↑ Roberts, Phillipe (11 July 2022). "Wu-Lu: Loggerhead Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  18. ↑ Pearson, Tommy (5 July 2022). "Wu-Lu album review: Loggerhead". The Skinny. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  19. ↑ Grein, Paul (28 September 2022). "Wet Leg, Stormzy & Rina Sawayama Win at 2022 AIM Independent Music Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  20. ↑ "UK Music Video Awards 2022 winners announced". Shots. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  21. ↑ Simon, Perry Michael (16 June 2023). "A2IM Announces 2023 Libera Awards Winners". AllAccess . Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  22. ↑ Parkel, Inga (26 September 2023). "AIM Awards 2023 winners in full, from Björk to Wet Leg". The Independent . Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.