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Del might very well be the hardest working man in hip hop today. In just over a year, he’s put out three full-length albums. 2009 saw two entirely self-produced online-only releases, and both really give the impression of a guy holed up in a studio by himself, working constantly for no real end aside from simply creating for the sake of it. And that commands a certain level of respect on its own — this guy really treats hip hop as an art, as a labor of love even, and his personal connection to it is really what keeps driving his music.

Automatik Statik just came out in late September and is an interesting album by all accounts. Fans’ take on it has been something of a mixed bag, and understandably so, as after a first listen you don’t quite know what to make of it. However, if you listen closely you start to understand the album a little better — this is Del having fun with rap, keeping things light and enjoying himself more than anything else.

The beats are catchy for what they are, but they are admittedly pretty shallow. The production is fairly stripped down here as the focus of this album is absolutely on lyrics and flow; in fact, it sounds a lot like he’s just freestyling his way through most of the songs. While that might not make for the most polished work he’s put out, it’s impressive in its own right and it’s great to see such a veteran still driven, still practicing and still having fun with his craft.

One last note… on one track Del mentions how he’s left psychedelic drugs behind, which is interesting considering this album seriously benefits from a marijuana influenced ear canal due to its break neck abandon and total disregard for normal attention spans. If you’re not feeling it the first time, go back to it after swallowing some pot smoke — the haze will be lifted, ironically enough.