Donwill, member of the Brooklyn-based group Tanya Morgan, is back with an EP to follow up his solo debut, High Fidelity. It was recorded about a year ago when he hooked up with German producer Suff Daddy. All of the songs are fairly short, so even though there are ten songs, the whole thing still clocks in at just under twenty minutes.

Although Suff Daddy is German, his beats are straight-up New York on this EP, clearly influenced by the likes of Pete Rock. Funky drums and jazz piano paired with smooth bass lines lay the foundation for Donwill’s rhymes. My personal favorite is “The Paper,” which features a sample of Biggie’s “Dead Wrong,” played off piano and bass that almost gives is a Gangstarr feel.

Donwill stated that he chose the title for this release because he felt that with some distance from the lyrics he wrote, he felt like a different person since then. He still felt an attachment to the material, though, like he was a doppelganger for himself about a year ago. In the short time we have with this release, Donwill does manage to cover some serious ground as an emcee, discussing his struggles at making a living as a musician and maintaining his relationships with friends and family. It’s a mature and honest look at an emcee trying to find his way.

DPPLGNGR isn’t a game changer, but it’s a solid release from talented emcee and a good producer. Hopefully this means that another Tanya Morgan album is right around the corner.