Death Grips
Government Plates
Well, it's finally here - the new Death Grips album. If you haven't heard of Death Grips, then you've really been missing out. The are peraps the greatest hip-hop group around now, and one of the best that have ever been around. The deal in oblique lyrics set against a harsh, noisy background of brilliantly selected samples and brutal electronics. If you are new to them, though, this album is a pretty good place to start. It starts off with "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's right, this is Death Grips referencing Dylan (though it's hardly surprising - they've sampled Link Wray and Arthur Brown before, so they clearly have a pretty wide-ranging taste in music). Like the rest of the album, it's heavy, it's dark, and while you'd need an interpreter to tell you what the lyrics actually mean, it's pretty clear it's nothing pleasant. The album is pretty much the same as their last three records, but that's not a bad thing - Death Grips know what they're good at and they do it well. And Government Plates isn't exactly the same as their previous output, in any case. There are more atmospheric passages here, and a greater emphasis on building a subtly threatening vibe than bludgeoning the audience into submission - closing track "Whatever I Want (Fuck Who's Watching)" is a case in point. It's not nearly as abrasive as the rest of the album, but that doesn't mean that it's soft, or poppy - it's just that it's more like the long, nerve-wracking part of a horror film where the monster is about to appear, rather than the bloody few seconds when it actually does. All in all, this is a quality album, and a worthy addition to Death Grips' discography.
Rating: 8/10
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