Trappin’ After Sunset is a new full length album from hip hop artist, Dre Da Playa. What’s uniue about Dre Da Playa is that he doesn’t rely on presets, samples and drum machines. Rather, he actually plays instruments (guitars and drums) to create the beats himself. As you might imagine, this results in a very exotic and organic sound, with the backing music taking on a refreshingly groovy and ethereal feel for a hip hop release. Dre has a relaxed and laid back delivery but still cranks up the gears every now and then to rhyme at an impressive pace. The songs are generally upbeat and cultivate a casually chill vibe. What I find most impressive about Trappin’ After Sunset are the distinctive and atmospheric song intros. Musically, they set the mood for the album’s “after dark” ambiance, with The Flow being my favorite example. Dre also demonstrates some solid rhyming chops, particularly on the track Crush Tonight. Overall this album is a decent release with good songwriting and a capable performance. The artist gets bonus points for creating the backing music the old fashioned way, which not only enhances the sound but lends the album an authentic personality.

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