Dillon is an artist originally from Jacksonville, but now based in Atlanta. While he’s dynamic on the mic, he’s also a dope producer as well. Back in July of 2020, back when the pandemic was fresh, he gave us a beat tape to garden to, simply titled Gardenstrumentals. Now he’s back with another volume, Gardenstrumentals 2.

One of the nice things about hip hop as an art form getting older is that it’s been around long enough that there is now room for artists to take hip hop into their 30s and 40s, and there’s enough space for different types of projects for different scenarios. This is all to say that it’s dope that we’ve reached a point where we can receive multiple gardening-inspired instrumental hip hop projects. Why not? Gardening is a very peaceful and meditative pastime, one that requires care and patience, along with some pride and determination when it comes to fending off weeds and pests. Dillon clearly understands all of this when delivering Gardenstrumentals 2. A large portion of it is some beautiful downtempo music, the kind that will put you at ease as you figure out what plants need to grow in the sun, and which will do better in the shade. There are also some great uptempo boom bap tracks that just feel bright, like you’re soaking up the quality time working outdoors and enjoying the fruits of your labor. There is also enough space to get into some darkness, such as when we encounter some stinging nettles, and the music matches the tone. Dillon also does a great job of placing some short vocal clips throughout that add just the right amount of levity to the project and will put a smile on your face.

Gardenstrumentals 2 has come along at just the right time. It’s a fun project to listen to, and it will provide a nice soundtrack for those of us that love hip hop and growing our own herbs and fruits and vegetables.