In this modern world we are so fucking over stimulated it takes the mind-melting sonic aesthetic of Death Grips to, paradoxically, give one some respite from the ‘noise’. The first single released from the avant-garde-proto-punk-electro two piece’s new album Government Plates is You Might Think He Loves You For Your Money But I Know What He Really Loves You For It’s Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat, that this week has become an unintended tribute to Miranda Kerr and James Packer’s tryst. Fuck them. Actually fuck you and fuck the guy in my office that said this shouldn’t be Album Of The Week because ‘it wasn’t well received’ – this album will never be ‘well received’ more like ‘brutally conceded’ like a razor studded condom on a 12” cock.
For the Sacramento three-piece, Stefan Burnett – vocals, Zach Hill – drums, Andy Morin – samples, this is their third LP. Last year they released two albums in relatively close succession, The Money Store and No Love Deep Web and in 2011 the act began its subversion of contemporary music with Exmilitary mixtape, a self titled EP then Black Google an extended manifestation of Exmilitary called Black Google.
The alternative mainstream’s embrace has resulted in, I feel, Death Grips taking no prisoners on Government Plates. The album swings from bass heavy punk, uptempo dubstep, heavy electro and even phases of late ‘90s dance cheese.
The aforementioned first single from the album that features a 23 word title begins with Burnett crying, “Get some fucking dog in here WAH BLAH WAHHH FUCKIN GRRRR BLAHH WAHHH Fuck it don’t start shit*” then a mind-slaying bottom end compressed bass synth drops in – it will leave you out of breath.
On the other hand This Is Violence Now (Don’t Get Me Wrong) is positively fruity with a frenetic drum and bass rhythm, chirping keys and a female vocal sample that is more 1999 then cargo pants.
I’m Overflow pays distinct tribute to any heavy bass genre’s debt to Kingston dub and features Burnett proclaiming a surprisingly discernible a cappella of “I am overflow, undertow, shots lick.” In context, this song is so fruity for Death Grips one can almost imagine oneself under a palm tree with a mojito… on a beach stained in exploded sperm whale’s blood.
There is something distinctly ‘90s about this album but with a tweens atomic digital redux. A comparison that first came to mind when I heard Death Grips was Atari Teenage Riot (apparently their still around but the German duo’s heyday was around 1999) and other digital hardcore acts like Fuck Buttons and The Liars are also fair comparisons. But, really, there are no acts around like Death Grips so get into them now before this aberration becomes a myth or rumour spoken about in hushed voices.
*I have no fucking idea what the actual lyrics are.
BY DAN WATT
Best Track: You Might Think He Loves You For Your Money But I Know What He Really Loves You For It’s Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Slow Focus Fuck Buttons, WIXIW The Liars, Delete Yourself Atari Teenage Riot, Aleph Gesaffelstein.
In A Word: Dystopian
