8/10

The rise of Dave over the last few years has been an impressive one to say the least. While originally knocking out a string of fresh and enticing grime-inspired cuts in his infancy, largely overlooked by the over-saturation of the scene at the time, his 2019 debut album 'PSYCHODRAMA' saw him break away from his formative sound and deliver one of the most engaging full-lengths of that year, eventually winning the Mercury Music Prize. And after only a year or so away, he has now returned with his sophomore LP 'We're All Alone In This Together', a record that looks to push his forward-thinking direction even further.

The clear difference between the new albums is simply the man he was and now is. While 'PSYCHODRAMA' focused on his day-to-day experiences living and growing up in London, this new collection is more about dealing with the fame and fortune that has been thrust upon him. Much like what Stormzy had to do between his two albums, he has now become one of the figureheads of inner city London success, and looks to present himself in a more intelligent and progressive way. The result is a firm and driven release that sees him step out from his former self and look to become more of a social orator than just another grime rapper.

It may not have the same energy or club-friendly bangers as the debut LP, but 'We're All Alone In This Together' is the perfect follow-up to an album with so much buzz around it. He has shown that those days were not a simple flash-in-the-pan, and that he is a name we can expect to hear for a long time yet.