Doze is a producer from Sioux Falls, North Dakota. He made a splash back in 2014 and 2015 when he released the one-two punch of Hell is Hot as Hell, Boss, and Pay Dues Forever. After a few years of quiet, he returns to the scene with a new album called I Was There When I Wrote This.

Not every producer is successful when making albums full of guest vocalists, but Doze has proven himself more than capable of pulling of this feat over the years. So when he dropped I Was There When I Wrote This, the formula was no surprise, with guest appearances from Wantedalah, Asphate, Chee Malabar, DJ Cam One, IAME, and Lucas Dix. Where Doze is really successful on this album is that he’s both able to find the right fit with his production with each guest, and still be able to have everything sound great next to each other and flow really well from track to track. That means things are a bit more dense and dark when Asphate hops on the mic, but a bit smoother and laid back when Lucas Dix takes his turn. There’s more space to the production on Chee Malabar’s track, which allows his sharp social observations to come flying through. On top of all that, Doze includes a few instrumental tracks this time through, which helps to break up the monotony of the album, but also serve as connecting points between some of the emcees coming in with different styles. It’s an album that has some killer singles, but also works as a complete listening experience from start to finish.

Sioux Falls might not be the first place you think of when it comes to hip hop, but Doze has certainly done his part to put his city on the map. I Was There When I Wrote This is a solid album from a veteran producer that delivers a nice mix of styles that all fit together nicely.