Where do you even start when talking about a Death Grips record? Between the aggressive, minimalist aesthetic, the industrial-grindcore-hip hop combination, the vocals that run the gamut from call-to-arms shouts and out-of-focus whispers, the shifting song structures, and the disorienting sampling, it can be a whirlwind to the ears to the uninitiated. Their newest record, Year of the Snitch, is a brain-shredding mixture of experimental combative hip hop with sludge-driven, gutter punk freak-out thrash.
In terms of the music itself, it’s instantly compelling, like most of the group’s material. Guitars churn like a grinding wheel, while bubbling synths, abstract noise and unconventional drums create an ever-changing direction and backdrop for the music. At first listen it can seem haphazardly thrown together, but once you really dig into the meat here, there is a lot of focus and composition involved in the madness.
Zach Hill’s drums switch from death metal-style blastbeats into crashing, titanic waves of sound, with gritty, fuzzy guitars and synths from Andy Morin transforming into fluttering, skittering lead lines that flash in and out of the periphery. The only musical constant is the high-octane, take-no-prisoners detachment of the songs. And we haven’t even gotten to the vocals yet.
Lyrically and vocally, MC Ride (Stefan Burnett) is in a class unto himself here. His bizarre vocal performance oscillates between throat-shredding screams, anthem-style shouts, spoken word, and the occasional whisper. The lo-fi nature of the vocal production gives his vocals an even more unsettling quality and ties in perfectly to the woozy, punch-drunk nature of much of Year of the Snitch. Thematically, the lyrics deal with suicide, violence, police brutality, drug use, sex, mental illness, and other darker subjects. The lyrics will most likely be analyzed and debated, as they are (true to form) rather vague and morose, and could lend themselves to any number of interpretations.
The spastic, abstract nature of much of the music of Death Grips is on full, vicious display on Year of the Snitch. Like most of their records, it’s confrontational, wild-eyed, and frantic, with an abrasive edge that doesn’t exactly soften with time, but becomes more palatable as you get used to the sound and the unusual nature of their style. It’s definitely not music you’ll hear every day, and for that Death Grips deserves applause. If you’ve been a fan for a while, you have some idea of what to expect. If you’re a newcomer, strap in and blast off. Either way, it’s a wild ride.
