Album Review: Death Grips-The Money Store

California hip-hop group Death Grips came out of nowhere last year with their debut mixtape Exmillitary. It caught my attention through word of mouth around the internet and I had to check it out due to the hype. I liked it overall, but it was too violent and too noise-based for me to get fully into. Fast forward a year to the their debut full-length The Money Store and all of the kinks have been worked out and they have made a truly great hip-hop album.

The Money Store is one of the most unique hip-hop albums I have ever heard. The tag "experimental hip-hop" was made for a group like Death Grips. Every song has a different quirk, twist, or turn to it, which makes the album an adventure to listen to. The style that they use is what makes them so fascinating as a group. The aggression that was on Exmillitary is still very much present, It's just much more controlled and effective this time around. Mixed in with the aggression is a new found knack for catchy hooks. Though the album has no shortage of brilliant hooks, the ones on "I've Seen Footage", "The Cage", "The Fever (Aye Aye), and "System Blower" especially will get stuck in your head for weeks on end. I have never heard hip-hop that is both angry and catchy, but Death Grips is just that. The biggest area of growth for Death Grips on The Money Store though is the production. Exmillitary was way over-the top from a production standpoint. The beats had way too much going on and it became distracting to listen to at times. The Money Store, on the other hand, is perfect from a production standpoint. The beats are completely incredible. The noise-influenced beats are not overwhelming in the slightest. They achieved the perfect balance of noise and clarity without causing any distractions. Having the secret weapons of a synth player and a drummer in the group allows for a lot more experimentation from a beat standpoint. It sounds a lot more raw and authentic than most rap and it's beyond refreshing. The beats on this album completely pound and I almost inclined to headbang like I was listening to a metal record. I will go as far as to say, "The Cage" is the best beat I've heard since "Shoulda Known" by Atmosphere back in 2008.

The Money Store is exactly what Death Grips and hip-hop needed. It gives a hip-hop a swift kick in the ass and establishes Death Grips as a force to be reckoned with in the scene. All the flaws of Exmillitary have been corrected and this is only their first full-length. It's almost scary how good their next one could be (It's due out by the end of the year). Hip-hop needs more acts like Death Grips to push the boundaries of the genre. The Money Store is definitely not for all hip-hop fans, but for those willing to take the risk, you might find it to be extremely rewarding.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.The Cage
2.I've Seen Footage
3.The Fever (Aye Aye)