Album Review//Death Grips - No Love Deep Web

You may have heard Death Grips' The Money Store earlier this year and decide that you really loved it, with a capital FUCK. One thing is for sure, despite being usually not foul of the mouth save for some choice eating matter, we did love that album. So when the band announced that the world would be hearing the album at the same time as their record label we were intrigued. So, we had a "sneak peek" with at least another one million people...

If we judged a book by the cover* then No Love Deep Web is perhaps a painful one, less Shades of Grey soft-porn and more ink pen masculinity as the marker inscribed erect penis that adorns said cover art may imply. But behind the distinctly erect cover lies a ten track masterpiece of hip hop that indicates Death Grips are indeed out to fuck with more than their record company's minds. 


The reverb laden loops and drums that open the album on the call out laden Come Up and Get Me is right in your face along with the ever impassioned vocals making that unique Death Grips sound that isn't likely to rock the baby to sleep - more make it dance insanely as if animated by Satan! The fact we're hearing this as the record execs hear it is perhaps one of the factors that makes this whole album sound incredibly fresh. Just as The Money Store was an unflinching all out assault on the system No Love Deep Web is that as well. But it's turned up to eleven in every aspect. 

There's the futuristic hip-hop of Lock Your Doors, it's claustrophobic production bringing an edge not found on the rest of the album. The set up of drum programming, synth and vocal sample that proved so effective on The Money Store is repeated on Whammy to cool but very different effect, holding back the overbearing beats and letting the rap take the mic over the out there beats. Oscillating beats on Deep Love create a malevolent take on the Death Grips sound and it's one of the albums highlights.

Other ear pounding noid fests include the surprisingly calm Pop, with the ambient synth effects one of the most surprising moments of the album. Apparently, they can do subtle! The end of the album is where some of the best material is to be found with Bass Rattle Stars Out The Sky restoring the pounding beats right into the mix. But the startlingly calm future urban sound of close Artificial Death in the West evokes the spirit of Kraftwerk with it's measured intro and pulls the rhyme and power of urban into the mix too to make a truly epic closer. 

Indeed if The Money Store was the sound of a band experimenting with their already raw sound then No Love Deep Web is one that sees a development away from the constantly raucous beats and a development of the production palette that makes their work so brilliant in the first place. A must listen people! Put it this way, we're truly noided here! 

Reviewed by Sebastian Gahan. 

Death Grips - The Money Store review





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