DIZZEE RASCAL Vinyl & CDs

Review: Given how prolific he was earlier in his career, the relative silence of Dizzee Rascal of late has been surprising to say the least - though nobody would begrudge him a break from the music industry treadmill. By the sounds of Don't Take It Personal, officially his eighth album, the four-year break has done him good. He's in prime lyrical form through, skipping between mutations of the grime blueprint he helped draw up and the kind of dancefloor-focused fare that he's periodically served up since the success of 'Bonkers' all those years ago. It's a smart move, meaning that hook-ups with fellow grime stars JME, D Double E, P Road and BackRoad Gee sit side by side with UK garage and bassline-leaning club workouts such as 'How Did I Get So Calm', 'Sugar & Spice' and 'What You Know About That'.

Review: It seems astonishing that 17 years have passed - and much water flowed under the proverbial bridge - since Dizzee Rascal released his groundbreaking debut album, Boy In Da Corner. The man himself seems to think so too, because E3 AF, his seventh album, sees him return to his East London roots via a set that's every bit as vibrant, inventive and exciting as his breakthrough debut. His rhymes - and those of the numerous guest MCs littered throughout the set - are naturally on-point, dexterous and lyrically inventive, while the beats they ride expand Dizzee's original raw, bass-heavy grime blueprint via nods to trap, UK garage, dubstep and dancehall. As many critics have pointed out, the result is the Bow-raised mic man's best album in years.

Review: It seems astonishing that 17 years have passed - and much water flowed under the proverbial bridge - since Dizzee Rascal released his groundbreaking debut album, Boy In Da Corner. The man himself seems to think so too, because E3 AF, his seventh album, sees him return to his East London roots via a set that's every bit as vibrant, inventive and exciting as his breakthrough debut. His rhymes - and those of the numerous guest MCs littered throughout the set - are naturally on-point, dexterous and lyrically inventive, while the beats they ride expand Dizzee's original raw, bass-heavy grime blueprint via nods to trap, UK garage, dubstep and dancehall. As many critics have pointed out, the result is the Bow-raised mic man's best album in years.