The Money Store

Death Grips

It's crazy to me how The Money Store is already ten years old. It may have all started with Exmilitary, but their major label debut is what made people really start to pay attention. It set in motion one of the most prolific and perplexing runs of the 2010s; complete with multiple attempts at career self-implosion, savvy internet marketing campaigns, the nurturing of a toxic parasocial relationship between their fans, and of course, an amazing discography that challenged the concepts of hip-hop, punk, and other alternative genres. While not specifically referenced, I don't think it was a coincidence that with the advent of Death Grips, we got albums like Yeezus and Because the Internet, as well as a fanbase that was ready to accept artists like JPEGMAFIA who would come to prominence later in the decade. The Money Store primed everyone for all of that and still holds up ten years later as a magnificent, yet punishing piece of experimental hip-hop.

One element I really enjoy on this record, which should come as no surprise, are the beats and rhythms. Whether you're getting more acoustic drum timbres or something more synthetic, Zach Hill's presence is still always felt. For me personally, I always find it a treat to hear more acoustic drums in Death Grips' music since that is usually where Hill's drumming intricacies are most often heard. The best example is The Fever (Aye Aye) where Zach Hill uses that signature fancy footwork to create a super busy pattern that really heightens the sense of urgency in the song. Another awesome moment is The Cage which features Hill's real drums in the verses. He often begins with a restrained patience, first establishing the beat's skeleton before he starts to play around again with that fancy footwork. While the virtuosic playing on these tracks make my drum brain happy, the band shows that they don't need to rely on Hill's technicality to create interesting rhythms. They do this by taking simple beats and tweaking them til the point they become quite disorienting. The beats on Lost Boys and Fuck That, for example, sound so off-kilter with drum hits barely landing on measure; further adding to the chaos and confusion in an already volatile environment.

By just looking at the track titles, you can probably guess that you're in for a pretty dark listen and the production certainly reflects that. There's a few bright moments, like the warped distorted synths on I've Seen Footage, the oriental flavoured melodies on Bitch Please, and the super catchy synth arpeggiation on the closing track Hacker. Other than that though, the production typically sounds like it is coming from deep, dark depths. All the distortion and modulation on these synths give it this disgusting, gurgling quality that, again, produces a strong fight-or-flight reaction. This sound would get tiresome if not for the fact that Death Grips has incredible attention to detail; creating the same vibe, although, through different textures. Look at Lost Boys and Blackjack for example. Both have a similarly disorienting feeling, but the former is achieved through heavy phasing effects while the later piles on the resonance to make the synths impossibly sharp and bright; like having a flashlight shining directly into your eyes during a hostile interrogation.

On top of the great production and beats is the ever-present Ride, who's words and performances reinforce that fight-or-flight feeling I previously mentioned. Whether he's feverishly shouting about being chased by people that aren't there (Get Got), using video evidence to illustrate the chaos and disorder that is really happening behind the scenes of our obliviously mundane lives (I've Seen Footage), spouting strings of non-sequiturs like a mentally ill conspiracy theorist on a busy street corner (Hacker), or violently engaging with anyone and everyone who dares to test him (pretty much every other song), Ride is always coming hot out of the gate, all dials turned to eleven, no holds barred. Surprisingly though, this album has so many catchy vocal tags that will no doubt get stuck in your head. The ghostly, reversed whispers of "blackjack," the exclamations of "I'M IN YOUR AREA," the quick glitch-like alliteration of "get get get get got got got got," Ride brings just as much memorability to the table as the rest of the band's contributors.

Putting the beats, the synth textures, and Ride's vocal tags all together, and you have a supremely hooky record, which is a magnificent feat considering how dark and depraved the sound and subject matter is. Experimental music can often become very niche when the focus becomes more about subverting expectations and musical norms than crafting a great song. Either road can be fine, but the point is, Death Grips does both on The Money Store. Their discography is challenging to say the least, but if one were looking for an entry point, this album is by far their most accessible. If you have yet to experience one of the most important bands of the 2010s, then make sure to give this a spin.