West Coast crooner Ty Dolla $ign follows up his well-received Beach House trilogy with a new project entitled $ign Language: a star-studded body of work featuring everyone from YG to Ed Sheeran. On the 11-track mixtape, Taylor Gang’s West Coast representative sticks to the formula that turned him into a bonafide star; Dolla $ign’s M.O. is crafting soulful choruses — more often than not about his love for the opposite sex — over club ready beats. He essentially sings what many would consider more conventional rap lyrics, and he does so in a manner that oozes authenticity. While the 29-year-old Los Angeles native is still a relatively fresh face in the industry — he earned 2014 XXL Freshman status — it’s difficult to avoid drawing similarities to another go-to hook man from the west side: the late Nate Dogg.

It should come as no surprise that the project’s biggest banger is produced by Ty’s friend and Pu$haz Ink labelmate, DJ Mustard. “Type of Shit I Hate” is a certified hit that should have the club jumping in no time. The song features verses from Fabolous and YG, and it falls in line with other collaborations between Mustard and Ty such as “Paranoid” and the 2 Chainz-assisted “Down On Me.” Ed Sheeran is an unlikely suspect to appear on a Dolla $ign record, but the English pop/folk singer provides a terrific interlude between track nine “Type of Shit I Hate” and the slower track 10, “Can’t Stay.” Over the smooth, acoustic-heavy track produced by Lil’C C Gutta and Mars, Dolla $ign sings about his finesse when it comes to women. He then recruits T.I.P. for a verse that bounces between Auto-Tune and normal vocals to complete $ign Language’s best overall record.

The mixtape’s final track however, is by far its most poignant. Dolla $ign’s younger brother Big TC, who is currently facing life in the penitentiary, sings the hook over soft, melodic piano. “Sitting here talking to my brother/About this that and the other/Like is it right that we gang bang?/Is there a right way to do the wrong thing?/No,” spits fellow Cali native, D. Loc, on verse one. The song is meant as an ode to TC, whom Dolla $ign feels is wrongfully imprisoned. It makes sense that this track was placed at the end of the tape, as $ign Language is the pre-cursor to Dolla $ign's debut album, Free TC.

Though the entire project is well worth a listen, the second half definitely contains the better beat selection. Atlanta’s Dun Deal, the man responsible for hits such as Young Thug’s “Stoner” and Migos’ “Hannah Montana,” does his thing behind the boards on track six, “Like I Do.” $ign Language never falls flat thanks to a plethora of guest features; Big Sean, Rick Ross, Dom Kennedy, Casey Veggies, and French Montana all also appear on the mixtape. Interludes from BJ The Chicago Kid, K Camp, Jeremih, Mike Posner, Mila J, and Sheeran are added bonuses that provide flavor and almost make the project feel more like an album rather than mixtape.

$ign Language is further proof that Dolla $ign is force to be reckoned with. His ability to crank out hooks on DJ Mustard’s “ratchet” subgenre of West Coast hip-hop cannot be overlooked. However, what makes him that much more impressive as a musician is his knack for killing the slower, female-friendly tracks as well. The fact that Ty Dolla $ign’s content rarely drifts from women, weed, and money isn’t important because one can tell that he puts his soul into the music.—Eli Schwadron

More From XXL