PTSD 2

D-Block Europe’s 10th full-length project in just over seven years begins with a female voice delivering a monologue that argues that the trappings of fame don’t do much to alleviate suffering. In fact, she says, success is known to exacerbate mental health problems: “What I often find in my research is that it’s a lot easier to maybe face your demons in your bedroom in your mum’s house instead of the mansion full of pain that you have now built for yourself.” The providence of this research, or the speaker’s qualifications, aren’t made clear but it’s not a surprising message to find on a DBE record. Young Adz and Dirtbike LB have established themselves at the very top of UK hip-hop in both quality and popularity (a nationwide arena tour was booked to accompany this release) by regularly cutting triumphalism with unshrinking reflections on the psychological costs of their journey from the trap house to The O2. With Adz demanding, “Set these tears in Cuban links/We’ve been through hell together,” on Skepta-assisted ode to loyalty “Still Together,” PTSD 2 leans into this contrast of light and shade just as hard as volume one did in 2019. High-grade guests, including Central Cee, Popcaan, and Rich The Kid gee the pair up into plenty of bravado but they also prod at the bruises of toxic relationships and broken bonds (“Bad Luck,” “Take Advantage”), give thanks for the salvation of fatherhood (“Performante Pain”), stew over betrayal (“Wrongs”), and rue imperfection and vices (“Unbreakable”). One thing that’s never dimmed along the way is the pair’s work ethic: DBE routinely pack one album or mixtape with enough songs to last some of their contemporaries a decade. PTSD 2 is no different, but the production of their heavy-lidded, wistful sound is detailed and melodic enough to always stay compelling across the 29 tracks, and Adz and Dirtbike consistently demand your attention with skilled wordplay to match their introspective honesty.