Written by Tom Bedding
The Grime rapper delivers some fantastic and fascinating pieces of work on his second LP. Though it may not be at the level of his debut record, 'We're All Alone..' is a perfect insight into one of Britain's best modern artists.
Eerie and Earthy instrumentation begins the rappers second studio album, with ‘We’re All Alone’. This opener goes into depth of support with loneliness and suicidal tendencies, striking a chord with the listener from the word go. Dave impressively relates to his fans on this cut, with lyrics that will truly support them and help them understand on how to deal, with being by themselves. Overall it is a powerful opener, especially when things are stripped back further with leaving just Dave and a piano…such a touching twist for the last part of the song.
Named after the ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ map, the second and hotly anticipated second song on the LP (‘Verdansk’), goes into Dave’s popular social commentary state of mind. Yes, the MC does make some nods to COD but the cut does feel like a leftover from the debut album and it does feel a tad out of place on this new effort. Frustrations then continue on ‘Clash’, it is honestly very confusing how this album begins in such a way. Stormzy features on this disappointing single, leaving both rappers to sound burnt out singing about the state of their world and the U.K.. I do like the blend of both of the artists sounds within the instrumentation, yet we should all expect more from such a combo.
We luckily then get back into the swing of things with the 7-minute epic track called ‘In My Fire’, this is where the artistry really begins to show. Over the gospel beat, Fredo and Ghetts go for it as they sound very sentimental while talking about their past and their new riches…it is gorgeous and so personal at points. ‘In The Fire’ keeps getting better as it goes along, as Ghetts and Dave flow so brilliantly as the passion levels keep going up and up and up! ‘WAAITT’ finally blossoms into being a fine album by this fourth track, which could be considered a Grime version of one of Kayne’s mega colabs from the early 2010’s?
Next with ‘Three Rivers’, there is some delicate piano playing (by James Blake) introducing Dave, who begins to describes three different eras of immigration here in Britain: The Windrush generation before moving onto the Eastern European Wars in the 90’s and concluding with what has been going on in the Middle East in recent years.
Dave brilliantly delivers a piece of art that perfectly showcases the disasters, embarrassment, wrong doing, injustice and hypocrisy that shamefully clouds over major aspects of modern U.K. immigration policies. To anyone who wants a way to help elaborate how this country has let down so many who we have taken for granted and dismissed, then ‘Three Rivers’ could be the best way to go.
Sport stars are named continuously (Martial, Phelps and more) on the awesome song. ’System’, that features Nigerian sensation, Wizkid. Both artists flow wonderfully over the afrobeat and the chorus is utterly beautiful, you can feel the warm setting sun over the mix which hits you like the perfect cocktail. You wonder if this album would become stale with its seriousness but this release on ‘We’re All Alone…’ undoubtedly prevents that; it is executed effortlessly and is a fine single by both Wizkid and Dave. Nods to the artists Nigerian heritage continues with having BOJ feature on the next song, ‘Lazarus’. I enjoy the guitar that rings through over the songs beat and the instrumentation offers some nice blemishes to the cut, however I was left wanting more to sway to from the song.
Who would have thought that some classic RnB would come along, backed up with the perfect collaboration with Snoh Aalegra on ‘Law Of Attraction’. The smoothness is wonderful and Aalegra sings so sweetly over the beat, taking us back to the hey day of this classic and magical sound. Dave goes well with fitting in with the songs style and offers a different tone about ones lover when compared to the Swedish singer.
James Black then comes back again on this record on ‘Both Sides Of A Smile’, which starts making this album a tad too heavy for its own good. The ambition of its length and also ‘Heart Attack’ is commendable but it leaves the last third of the album to feel like a slog, despite the obvious passion shinning through so well. Nevertheless, Dave raps like he isn’t just 23, the dude is wise and does not come across patronising as he is simply laying it all down perfectly for us all, to digest and dwell over. ‘We’re All Alone In This Together’ is a solid and impressive follow up to the famous ‘PSYCHODRAMA’ and has moments that matches it, however there could be some strings that could have been loosened to make this album feel like a smash till the end.
Bring Me The Music Recommended Tracks: In Fire, Three Rivers and System
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