Craig David, “Trust Me,” (Warner Bros.)

By Melanie Sims/The Associated Press

“Trust Me” isn’t just the title of British artist Craig David’s fourth studio album. The two-word combination might best serve as instructions for listening to the disc.

The 26-year-old, who made a splash in the United States with his 2001 platinum debut “Born to Do It” but then fell off the radar here, exudes soul. His voice is sweet and sincere on the delicate, slow-moving track “Awkward,” with its earthy mix of guitar and organ.

But creatively, David isn’t so easily labeled. Perhaps it’s because he escapes the usual boundaries of those in his musical genre — going full-throttle with sounds some artists only dabble in.

The tempo, the drums and the electrifying horns on “6 of 1 Thing” and “Don’t Play with Our Love” boast Cuban influence. The lead single “Hot Stuff (Let’s Dance)” starts with a ‘50s-era drumbeat and continues with a sound culled from the days of disco.

There are tracks, such as the folksy “Top of the Hill,” that might seem out of character, but the guy sounds good, nevertheless. For those who choose to follow David’s directions, “Trust Me” is easy to enjoy, even if the selection of tracks doesn’t mesh seamlessly together.

CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: David comes off super smooth on the reggae-driven “She’s on Fire,” and even shows off some exciting rhyming skills.