Death Grips - No Love Deep Web (Album Review)

 

Death Grips - No Love Deep Web

(2012)

My copy: 2023 limited reissue on green vinyl by Third Worlds and Harvest.

2012 marked the release of two major full-lengths for Death Grips, with their desire to complete and release No Love Deep Web in the same year as The Money Store resulting in their being kicked from the Epic Records roster. Label or no label, their influence on the world of off-kilter hip-hop was strong enough to earn Death Grips a mass cult following across multiple internet forums. No Love Deep Web isn’t quite as bombastic as its predecessor, but combines subtle punk influences of Exmilitary with the imaginative synthetic palette of The Money Store. 

“Come Up And Get Me” is less frenetic compared to other tracks; relying on angsty synth and steady hip-hop beats to carry MC Ride’s panning, exasperated vocalizing. Ride is noticeably more unhinged, nihilistic and performative, diving into his role as one of the most enigmatic rap MCs out there. The tasteful, catchy hooks of “Lil’ Boy” embrace more traditional rap melodies, even sticking mostly to a four-on-the-floor beat that stands in contrast to Ride’s unusual and largely unintelligible flow. The production is stepped up from The Money Store, with more satisfying bass plumes as is demonstrated within the monstrous, blaring pulse of “No Love,” which also contains one of Ride’s most compelling performances of all time. 

“Black Dice” demonstrates the criticality of Andy Morin’s involvement, with colorful, futuristic synth landscapes that are kept vaguely foreign by tinges of dissonance. Ride steps back on “World Of Dogs,” saving the yelling for ad-libs while the core vocals resort to paranoid mantra. Zach Hill’s drum prowess is put on display here and there, but rarely is his true potential fully tapped - instead the record marries dark, demented themes to indulgent instrumental ephemera. The synth of “Lock Your Doors” whips like a sandstorm over heavy, booming drums and confused, dystopian ravings. The chopped vocal samples of “Whammy” fit tightly into the minimalist melodic motifs that remain constant as the percussion wrinkles and complicates between patches of relative calm. 

“Hunger Games” is a somewhat restrained backdrop for more of Ride’s esoteric poetry while “Deep Web” evolves into a nest of strobing synth chords. While the production of the record is slick and pristine, there is something inherently industrial about their choice of tones and effects: as on “Stockton” where the synths buzz like electrical zaps amidst rattling, mechanical growls. Drones ascend over a swing beat on “Pop,” solidifying that rhythm is just another malleable force for them to manipulate at will. Synth tones moan and drift on “Bass Rattle Stars Out The Sky” as if they were flying by at high speed, as typically cliche synthwave percussion is recontextualized under Ride’s rapping. The finale is comparatively introspective, delivering ridiculous lines with a cool confidence that could convince a crowd to follow Ride into the depths of hell. 

Death Grips are a divisive and largely vexing band, but their intentions on No Love Deep Web seem clearer than any of their other albums: this is a concentrated dose of malfeasance, delivered by a paranoid, misanthropic MC with the charisma of the devil. The writing is simpler: appealing to conventional hip-hop structures that are given new life via layering and creative synth sounds. Perhaps not their most innovative outing, but addictingly aggressive and hauntingly visceral.