Trilogy: Where Dexta Daps Makes You Think, Sweat and Fall in Love

A Journey In Three Acts

Three years after his last project, Dexta Daps, has released his third studio album, Trilogy. This 54-minute, 16-track offering is more than just an album; it’s a testament to Dexta’s growth as an artist and a love letter to the versatility of dancehall.

Full disclosure: I adored his second album, Vent. In fact, it was my personal favorite of 2020. While Vent showcased Dexta’s saccharine sweet vocals and smooth production on primarily gyallis anthems, Trilogy dives into deeper themes and styles with more maturity, hinting at Dexta Daps’ artistic evolution.

Just like Vent, Trilogy incorporates genres like dancehall, lovers rock and neo-reggae, showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend them into his unique sound. Dexta throws out the rulebook from the start, dividing the album into three sections: Reality, Explicit, and Heart.

Part 1: Reality Bites But Dexta Soothes

The album kicks off with Reality, a section heavy with social commentary and introspection. “OK”, the opening track featuring Masicka, is a complete 180-degree turn from their last collaboration “Vanish” (from Masicka’s album). The duo go from melodizing on a gunslinger anthem to an uplifting ballad urging the youth to keep faith, stay in school and avoid violence. “Wuk Fi Mine” and “Showers of Blessings” are comforting odes to resilience, riding on smooth vocals and catchy choruses. “Friendship Sale” featuring Chronic Law, who returns from the last album, delves into the ever-shifting sands of trust and loyalty. “Strength” tackles entitlement and black tax with exceptionally creative storytelling.

Part 2: Dexta Gets Down and Dirty (But Makes it Sound Classy)

This section delivers familiar territory for Dexta Daps, the smooth operator himself. To lift the contemplative mood, Explicit starts off with “Forever,” a pre-released NSFW banger that has already garnered millions of streams. “Demon Time” takes things up a notch, with witty wordplay and explicit metaphors — basically, the song version of the 😈 emoji. “I Will” echoes “Call Me If” from Dexta’s last album, showcasing his ability to sing about the lewdest topics with tenderness normally reserved for heartfelt love songs. However, Explicit is more than just bedroom jams, Dexta Daps delves deeper with “Regret” and “Unfair Truth,” the latter exploring double standards in infidelity with unflinching honesty.

Part 3: Rude Boy Romance

This section showcases Dexta’s versatility and completely breaks free from genre restraints. In Heart, Dexta dips his toes into R&B-infused melodies on “In You” and experiments with soulful pop vibes on “Butterfly.” The collaborations are stellar, with Jada Kingdom adding her powerful vocals to the haunting “Purge” and Alaine bringing her soulful touch to the heartfelt “See It Yah.” “Indicted (End-I-did)” features a neo-reggae sound with heavy R&B influence.

The bonus track, “Vanta Black” reminds us that the self-proclaimed “bad man gyallis” is not all lover boy. With his characteristically soft and resplendent vocals, Dexta delivers thinly veiled threats to his opps, proving he hasn’t lost his edge.

The Verdict

Since his debut album Outro in 2017, Dexta Daps has steadily honed his skills, showcasing his versatility and willingness to experiment. Vent hinted at this genre shapeshifting but Trilogy fully embraces it. Dexta’s lyrics are more introspective while his vocals are as smooth as ever. Here, he seems to be moving beyond the youthful exuberance of his earlier work and emerging as a more mature artist.

Rating: 8 out of 10