The developmental arc between Paul Alwright's brace of LD50 sets and this album is admirable. The former were about him locating his place on the floor; 1988 is about making a mark and taking a stand. It's the weight of the Dublin rapper's lyrics that takes up most attention on this collaboration with producer JacknifeJ and featuring Damien Dempsey and Jess Kavanagh. Well-worked, clear and coherent, 1988's wordplay gains much from the absence of the murky wash that camouflaged Alwright's words on previous releases. The guest vocalists are well chosen, with Kavanagh adding a soulful hue to Headstrong and Energy. Alwright himself works the themes with panache, and School Dayz Are Over is a striking opening shot. twitter.com/Lethal_Dialect