Over the past four years, Dave has become an incomparable force amongst UK rappers. Growing into mainstream prominence in 2017 following an OVO Sound Radio appearance and a collaboration with renowned hitmaker J Hus on “Samantha”, the rapper is known for his deep societal commentary shared through powerful poetry. His debut album, ‘Pyschodrama‘ is a decorated piece winning Brit, Mercury and AIM prizes, as well as earning platinum certification. Off the back of this success, Dave’s sophomore album has been hotly anticipated, within the industry and amongst fans.

Finally arriving today, ‘We’re All Alone In This Together‘ looks to be living up to the hype. Equal parts profound, equal parts party-pumping, with different moods and sounds co-mingling across the album, Dave’s sophomore is just the thought-provoking, attention-grabbing hour you’d expect from the mid-20s rapper.

Heavy on the lyrics, ‘We’re All Alone In This Together‘ is stacked with lengthy numbers that divulge the hardships, Dave, his family, and his community have had to endure, given their socioeconomic background. Like “Lesley” on ‘Pyschodrama‘, this album’s preeminent piece is “Heart Attack”, which includes a heartfelt teary note from Dave’s mother at the end. The opening audio on this penultimate track also features news clips detailing the uptick of knife crime in London, ahead of Dave spitting about the cycle of suffering that pushes inner-city residents into crime.

Besides, “Heart Attack”, the rest of the project is rife with sound-bites that reiterate the weightiness of the song’s subjects and also convokes a plethora of featured artists. Featuring Boj, who dishes out some sing-along Yoruba bars, right after the Wizkid-assisted “System”, on ‘We’re All Alone In This Together‘ Dave comes together with exciting acts from a wide variety of musical nodes and tastes.

From Snoh Allegra to James Blake and Stormzy on the promotional single, “Clash”, Dave’s collaborators take us through the album’s twists and turns as expertly and meticulously as the artist himself. “Both Sides of A Smile” and “In The Fire” in particular are collaborative masterpieces. The former track taps into Dave’s storytelling prowess, whilst on the second track ShaSimone leverages Dave’s ability to bewitch audiences over stripped and simple beats, espousing lyrics in a dynamic, captivating way.

A record that has emerged controversial on the timeline is “Twenty To One”. With its sing-song hook, the accurately titled number is cleverly timed for audiences who listened to the album at its midnight drop. As grating as the nursery rhyme chorus might seem at first, it is incredibly catchy, and as you subconsciously begin to sing along, you have no choice but to appreciate the melody’s merit.

Featured Image Credits: Dave/Instagram

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