We're All Alone in This Together

We're All Alone in This Together is the second studio album by British rapper Dave, released on 23 July 2021 by Neighbourhood Recordings. The album succeeds his debut album Psychodrama (2019), and includes guest appearances from Stormzy, James Blake, Wizkid, Snoh Aalegra, Boj, Fredo, Ghetts, Giggs and Meekz.

The album follows the themes of loneliness and mental health, as well as social commentary on the conditions faced by young black people in society. The album received universal critical acclaim, with many comparing it favourably to its predecessor, ''Psychodrama. We're All Alone in This Together'' was executive produced by Kyle Evans and Dave himself, with additional production from James Blake and Joe Reeves.

The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, the biggest album launch of 2021 at the time of release, and the biggest first week sales for a UK hip hop album since 2010. We're All Alone in This Together was supported by two singles: "Clash" featuring Stormzy, and "Verdansk", which reached number two and four, respectively, on the UK Singles Chart. The album was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

Background
In April 2021, Dave released two songs as a two-track EP, "Titanium" and "Mercury" featuring Kamal, labelled as leftovers from his second album. Two months later, Dave announced We're All Alone in This Together, alongside its cover art and release date. Dave revealed that the title was inspired by Hans Zimmer, with it coming from a line that the composer had said to him during a conversation. The album art itself is re-interpretation of French painter Claude Monet’s ‘Impression, Soleil Levant’ (‘Impression, Sunrise’). Dave said that the two people in the boat on the cover represented him and his mum and, also, everyone who tries for a better life in the United Kingdom

The lead single, "Clash" featuring Stormzy, was released on 9 July 2021. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in the chart week ending 30 July.

Critical reception
We're All Alone in This Together received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 92 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Reviewing the album, David Smyth of the Evening Standard called Dave "the greatest rapper working in Britain today". In a five-star review, Kyann-Sian Williams of NME wrote that the album is a "stunning sequel [that] lives up to his debut".

Clash's Robin Murray wrote that We're All Alone in This Together "thrives on openness while refusing to lay down easy answers" and that "it finds Dave asking tough questions, both of himself and the world around him." Murray continues to write that the album is "a step forwards from his debut, it feels simultaneously more diverse and yet more unified" and that it is "held together by the intensity of Dave’s vision, and the singularity of his purpose." Writing for The Daily Telegraph Thomas Hobbs begun to write that the album "digs even deeper into the rapper’s subconscious, giving his fans a cause-and-effect insight into why he thinks the way that he thinks," while the meaningful content of the album "gives you a personal stake not only in Dave’s story, but that of so many other immigrant families, showing the human beings behind the statistics and defining why those with nothing in their pockets might be tempted by crime." Concluding his review, Hobbs noted that the album is an "experience as much as it is a set of songs. The results are compelling and well worth your time, but for everybody who comes away feeling transformed"

For DIY, Sean Kerwick described We're All Alone in This Together as a part two to his debut Psychodrama as he wrote, "while Psychodrama used the framing of a therapy session to look inwards, We’re All Alone In This Together looks outwards." He continued to write and describe the album as "an album that’ll be excavated for years to come, but remains just as impactful on first listen," stating that, "at the rate he’s working at, watching him fill out the chapters to come is going to be a gift that keeps on giving." David Smyth from Evening Standard gave a positive review of the album, noting that Dave is "wrestling all kinds of issues, finding it hard to reconcile the glitzy lifestyle he now enjoys."

Gigwise's Adam England rated We're All Alone in This Together a ten out of ten. He states that Dave's craft "almost belies his age, if not for the injection of youthful vigour that accompanies the emotion and heart." When beginning his review, England writes that Dave is "becoming the voice of Gen Z, the conscious rap baton being passed down and Dave firmly lobbing it into the mainstream." England states that "it feels, and flows, like a truly coherent record," and as he concludes his review, he describes Dave as the best UK rapper, "The best rapper in Britain right now? Even at the age of 23, you’d be hard pressed to argue otherwise."

Album sales
We're All Alone in This Together debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 74,000 album equivalent units first week, becoming Dave's second consecutive number one album. It made for the biggest UK album launch of 2021 at the time of release, beating out Olivia Rodrigo's Sour which sold 51,000 first week. It was also the biggest opening first week since Coldplay's Everyday Life released in November 2019 and opened with 81,000 album equivalent units in its first week. Additionally, it was the biggest first week sales number for a UK rap album since Tinie Tempah's Disc-Overy, which was released in October 2010.

Single performances
The single "Clash" and two other songs for the album charted on the UK Singles Chart: "Clash" (2), "Verdansk" (4), and "In the Fire" (6). UK chart rules prevent artists from having more than three songs in the top 40 at once; without these rules, Dave's album would have generated further new entries in the countdown.

We're All Alone in This Together returned back to number one on the UK charts, on 13 August 2021.

Track listing
Notes
 * $undefined$ signifies an additional producer
 * $undefined$ signifies a co-producer
 * "We're All Alone" features additional vocals from Molly Cowan and The Music Confectionary
 * "In the Fire" features vocals from Fredo, Meekz, Ghetts and Giggs and additional vocals from Nathan Tettey
 * "Three Rivers" and "System" features additional vocals from The Music Confectionary
 * "Three Rivers" and "Survivor's Guilt" features additional vocals from Daniel Kaluuya
 * "Both Sides of a Smile" features additional vocals from ShaSimone and Nathan Tettey
 * "Twenty to One" features additional vocals from James Blake and The Music Confectionary
 * "Heart Attack" features additional vocals from The Music Confectionary
 * "Survivor's Guilt" features vocals from Jorja Smith

Sample credits
 * "In the Fire" contains samples of "Have You Been Tried in the Fire", performed by The Florida Mass Choir

Personnel
Credits adapted from album's liner notes.


 * Dave – vocals, production (tracks 1, 4, 5, 10–12)
 * James Blake – production (track 4, 5, 9, 11)
 * Dominic Maker – production
 * P2J – production (tracks 6, 7, 10)
 * Kyle Evans – production, instruments
 * Jonny Leslie – engineering
 * Leandro "Dro" Hidalgo – mixing (all tracks)
 * Daniel Kaluuya – additional vocals
 * Tobie Tripp – strings and arrangement (tracks 1, 5)
 * ShaSimone – additional vocals (track 9)
 * Nathan Tettey – additional vocals
 * The Music Confectionary – additional vocals
 * Molly Cowan – additional vocals (track 1)
 * Evelyn Maillard – piano (track 1)
 * Olivia Williams – choir arrangement
 * Joe Reeves – production, guitar (tracks 6, 7, 10)
 * Emmanuel Asamoah – saxophone (track 6)
 * Jae5 – production, synths (track 6)
 * Joshua "McKnasty" McKenzie – marching drums (track 1)
 * Teniola Abosede – choir arrangement
 * Aleysha Gordon – choir arrangement
 * Nana Rogues – production, flute (track 2)
 * Joel Peters – engineering (track 2)
 * Luke Pickening – engineering (track 12)
 * Leandro "Dro" Hidalgo – mastering (all tracks)