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Fool’s Gold Records/Warner
Danny Brown is like a living cartoon character, his voice is Looney Toons and his subject matter is Liquid Television. Essentially his first official album following some free downloads and mixtapes, it’s a highly polished release. Divided into two parts, the first half sees him utilising a slightly more traditional hip hop sound with beats provided by the likes of Oh No and Paul White. Nevertheless, he maintains the wackiness his fans have grown accustomed to, while his lyrics are sort of scattered around the beat, creating a chaotic but engaging experience. Upping the ante on the second half, he’s recruited producers with a more neon, dancefloor vibe including UK bass music star Rustie. The combination of these two is one of highlights of the record, as precision of the rhythms counter balances the frenzied lyrics. In fact, the later half of the record is packed with so much energy it’s almost exhausting to listen to, and will probably grate with some listeners. This isn’t your chilled afternoon, Tribe Called Quest kind of hip hop – it’s more like M.O.P on shrooms or Ol’ Dirty Bastard at a rave.
NICK SWEEPAH
