I'd thought I'd take a moment to shed some light on an album that breathes in eternal darkness.
Atrocity Exhibition is an album by rapper Danny Brown, released in late 2016, is the follow-up to 2013's Old, and 2011's XXX. Both albums I have a great love for, actually.
In my early days of making terrible reviews on Facebook, one of my first ones was for Old. I loved the album, and basically said it was a retread of XXX, but with new ideas.
Over time, I still love Old, but I noticed why it's not as loved as XXX.
If you're at all familiar with Danny Brown, you'll know there's "two" Dannys. The crazy, drug-fueled, party monster Danny, then the "sober", reflective, self aware Danny. The LPs are split in half, to present these two sides. XXX presents the party side first, however, it has a dark undercurrent, that's present, and gets built upon within the lyrics of the album. But after a certain point, the party ends, and the come down arrives, thus the rest of the album is done in his "sober" voice. It's to great effect, showing us the different sides of Danny and his many complexities. We see Danny has layers, he's not an easy artist to digest by any means. Then comes Old, an album that is somewhat similar to the previous album. Only in the concept of the two Dannys, of course. Except, he starts with the personal tracks, then the second half is the party tracks. What made this one a little less good, was the fact it was basically two albums mashed together. The two persona formula is great when used well, here it was used to satisfy both sides of his fanbases, not to make a compelling album.
Now, let me tell you, Atrocity Exhibition, is the best follow-up Danny could've possibly sculpted.
The exhibition begins with the first song "The Downward Spiral". It has a free jazzy feel. The instruments feel very loose, without much structure. It gives you a feeling that this world is dark, and is falling apart almost, just like Danny. Don't get me wrong, it sounds amazing. The guitar strums and lingers hauntingly, the horns play against it like it's letting out it's final weeps, but don't come through normally. The drums and bass sound like they're barely propping themselves up. Lyrically, Danny expands on various stories, and what the rockstar life entails. From a comedown, to not being able to get his dick erect because he's so fucked up. Though it's crude, it's also raw and shows a preview of what this album has up it's sleeve. It's a good intro into Danny's state of mind, you can smell the desperation and melancholy in the air.
"Tell Me What I Don't Know" serves as a pretty good into for the "narrator" of the album. Where the track before set up the atmosphere for the album, this is a good way of showing the self awareness and state of mind of Danny as he goes through his addictions. His voice doesn't have the usual yelp, it's the deeper, more reserved "sober" side. He reflects back of being a drug dealer, back before a time he really knew what kind of ramifications selling drugs has. His lyrics are haunting as he explores his existential dread, and the beat has an ominous synth, displaying Danny's inner fears, and a feeling of absolute emptiness.
The journey then brings us to a current Danny, to the track "Rolling Stone", obviously after the magazine about rockstars, Danny raps about his endeavors of being a straight up rockstar, an isolated figure with no direction to go to. His raps are hopeless and straight up cynical. His depression at a tipping point, and drugs are his only solace. The world is fucked up, his love left him, and he's got nothing left but music and drugs. Makes you feel like he doesn't want this life, but at the same time, he knows it saved him. Well, sorta I guess.
Then we get into "Really Doe". So. This track is an ABSOLUTE BANGER SON!!! I could talk about this track forever, man. First off, the beat is dope. It's minimal, a good background for the MC's to spit on, and it's different enough it fits perfectly on this album. Everyone's verses were pure hot lava man. Danny jumps on and proves that he can rap as good as, if not better, than his contemporaries. Ab-Soul jumps on and goes for more wordplay. He ties together metaphors to larger concepts. It took me awhile to appreciate his verse if I'm honest. Then you got Kenny. Oh Kenny got the flames. He goes on and does his thing, and as always, it's pretty great. But then.... Earl. His verse is easily my favorite. It's so harsh, and rude, but it's something I've never heard from Earl before. He's actually aggressive and alive. I absolutely love this track, man.
After we saw the hunger and love Danny has for rap music, we head right into "Lost". A track in the eyes of a "high" Daniel. It shows his thought process when he feels on top, even if he does ultimately feel lost. But he owes it all to the rap game. The beat has a very creepy woman vocal in it, like the dark secrets of the track are calling out. It also has arguably has one of the best lines: "I'm like Kubrick / With two bricks / And hoes on the strip / Off a two piece / A toothpick I flick / And I preach" Damn, at his most fucked up, he can crack jokes. Too bad the high doesn't last forever.
"Ain't It Funny" is the epitome of a bad trip, and a bad hangover. The beat alone is frickin' insane, with the demented 2-step beat, and messy horns, it brings on uneasy feelings and intensely depressive atmosphere. From that, Danny goes in. He truly becomes a "flow house of horror deadbolted with metal doors". This is the dark side of the trip. Feeling like life is just one huge cruel joke. He feels that he's stuck in a grueling and fucked up trap, that he can't ever seem to get out of. This whole song can be characterized in the lines he shares: "Jokes on you / But Satan the one laughing" This is probably my favorite song on Atrocity Exhibition. It's the pinnacle of the album in this humble but ugly reviewer's opinion.
We continue into the craziness that is "Golddust", which has a beat I can barely describe. It's awesome yes, but... explaining it doesn't do it justice. Paul White did a fantastic job with this production on this album, man. This song is a weaker one, however, it's a fine addition to the exhibition.
Right after that, we have "White Lines", which starts on this weird flow that Danny made, I'm guessing for this song. The beat has this intense bass, with the synths sounding so sinister that it sounds like it's doing a tightrope act. It's told through the perspective of Danny trying to have sex with a woman, while also giving the hidden dangers of drugs. At the end, being scared that he's even about to die.
The song "Pneumonia" begins, the beat is sparse, full of dread, glitchy, and empty. Danny explains his lifestyle again, except this time, uses it with the beat, to show another side of these acts, instead of being fun, it's almost horrifying. The beat itself is as important as the lyrics here, it's like the effect of putting the B-52's "Love Shack" but over the Psycho theme music. The lyrics in that song start to take a different tone, don't they? Same works for here.
However, after this, Danny is energized again. "Dance In The Water" shows the uppers when they're still, well up. Danny feels invincible. That's where you get the metaphor of "dance in the water / and not get wet". This shows he's definitely fucking with something he's not supposed to, yet he's able to avoid the consequences. For most of the album, he has many references to people who didn't make it from the drug game. Here, that thought is used as almost a triumphant moment on the album. Like he knows he can survive, even with how close to death he truly is.
As the exhibition starts to slow with "From The Ground", we're greeted by an after-party, come down Danny. The production fizzles, it's harsh at first but then settles. However, while the demeanor is melancholy, it's a track with lighter subject matter. It's Danny looking back at everything's he's built. Now, I'm not sure if this is here to actually lighten things up, or to show how much he actually has to lose.
Then, to get things exciting again, we get the insane track "When It Rain". After the canoe ride that was the last track, we go right down the waterfall and straight into madness that is this track. Fast-paced, lyrics give in detail of the intensity of when things go wrong. The beat itself is inspired by past Detroit techno music as well, setting the tone of Detroit.
The intensity continues into "Today", giving the grimmest message of hope, saying you should live as today was your last, mysteriously he says "you never know when it's your time to go". Setting the tone for the great overdose, that Danny grimly believes will be the end of him.
"Get Hi" is the most sarcastic song I've ever heard Danny rap. Putting you in the mind of a junkie, saying all your problems will go away, all pain will stop, if you just get high. You can solve your problems, confront demons, but first, ya gotta get high. B-Real being on this track is incredible. A good way to describe this track, after a messed up day, and after this crazy exhibition we've been though, "Get Hi" is the relief, or we're "getting high", escaping everything, but in turn, we contribute to the problem once again.
"Hell For It" is the closer of the album. If you're familiar with his past albums, all his closing tracks have a similar theme. On "30", he wants to prove himself to the world, even if it destroys him. On "Float On", he knows of all the hardship he's been through, but he knows he'll continue on. Here, he sounds as determined as ever, however, he continues on very weary. He knows of the bs that goes in the music business, and it's discouraging, yet Danny knows he will continue anyway.
God DAMN. This is one hell of an album, man. Sometimes it's truly difficult to describe the production on here, man. It's really unlike anything that's come out before. Sure, there's influence of course, but Danny, and the producers, mainly Paul White, create this depraved, dark, weary, and destructive world, acid-soaked and deranged. And... I can't get enough of it. The album is a perfect length. It takes you on a trip throughout the world, but doesn't overstay it's welcome. This is a fucked up piece of art, and it brings me to tears. This album is truly beautiful, and fucking awesome.
Danny, please, for the love of everything that is wholesome, never stop making dope music. Everything you've made is at least great. I know before this album, it seems as if no one took the addiction seriously, and you made an album that shows what addiction and the depression that comes with it is. I cannot think of a better album that is an epitome of that.
I hope you enjoyed my love letter, to the masterpiece that is Atrocity Exhibition.
10/10
Favorite tracks: Ain't It Funny, Really Doe, Downward Spiral, Pneumonia, When It Rain, From The Ground, Tell Me What I Don't Know
Least favorites: I mean, I spose Golddust? Not really, but if I had to put one?
P.S. Just kind of realized Danny Brown would've made a better president.
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