Atrocity Exhibition (album)

Atrocity Exhibition
Studio album by Danny Brown
Released September 27, 2016 (2016-09-27)
Recorded 2014–16
Genre Experimental hip hop
Length 46:38
Label Warp
Producer
Danny Brown chronology
Old
(2013)Old2013		 Atrocity Exhibition
(2016)
Singles from Atrocity Exhibition
  1. "When It Rain"
    Released: June 14, 2016
  2. "Pneumonia"
    Released: August 19, 2016
  3. "Really Doe"
    Released: September 20, 2016

Atrocity Exhibition is the fourth studio album by American rapper Danny Brown. It was released on September 27, 2016,[1] by Warp Records. It is primarily produced by British producer Paul White.[2] The album features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt, B-Real, Kelela and Petite Noir.

The album was supported by three singles: "When It Rain", "Pneumonia", and "Really Doe". Atrocity Exhibition received widespread acclaim from critics, appearing on the year-end lists of many publications. The album charted at number 77 on the Billboard 200.

Release and promotion

On October 28, 2014, Danny Brown announced that he was working on a new album.[3] On April 25, 2015, when asked if his album was done, Brown responded: "Almost, I took a break from it cause I'm so ahead of schedule with it knowing it ain't coming out no time soon."[4]

On June 10, 2016, Brown revealed on his Instagram that he was "putting the final touches" on his fourth album. On June 14, Brown announced that he has signed a deal to Warp Records.[5] On July 17, Brown stated that his new album would be titled Atrocity Exhibition, taking inspiration from both the Joy Division's song of the same name and J. G. Ballard's novel of the same name.[6][7][8] On August 16, Brown unveiled the album's track-listing and release date.[9] On September 15, Brown was interviewed by NPR Music. He spoke on the creation process of the album and premiered a song, titled "Rolling Stone".[10][11] On September 21, Brown debuted the track, called "Tell Me What I Don't Know" during his interview on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. From September 14 to November 5, 2016, Brown embarked on The Exhibition 2016 Tour with special guests Maxo Kream and Zelooperz.[12] On September 27, Brown released the album three days ahead of its schedule at 3:00 p.m. EST.[1]

Singles

The album's lead single, "When It Rain" was released on June 14, 2016, alongside its music video. The song was produced by Paul White.[13]

The album's second single, titled "Pneumonia" was released on August 19, 2016.[14] The track features background vocals from Schoolboy Q and production from Evian Christ.[15] A music video for "Pneumonia" was released on October 13, 2016.

On September 19, Peter Rosenberg of New York City-based radio station Hot 97, premiered a new Danny Brown song, titled "Really Doe", after given permission from Brown. The track features vocals from Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul and Earl Sweatshirt, with the production that was handled by Brown's longtime collaborator Black Milk.[16][17] "Really Doe" was later released as the album's third and final single via digital distribution on September 20.[18][19] In an interview, Brown revealed that Lamar was responsible for the creation of "Really Doe".[20]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10[21]
Metacritic85/100[22]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[23]
The Guardian[24]
The Independent[25]
Mojo[26]
The Observer[27]
Pitchfork8.5/10[28]
Q[29]
Rolling Stone[30]
Slant Magazine[31]
ViceB+[32]

Atrocity Exhibition received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 31 reviews.[22] David Jeffries of AllMusic of said, "Atrocity Exhibition is Danny Brown at his least diluted, almost unrelentingly grim and completely engrossing."[23] Hugh Leask of Clash "Yet beyond this wired mix of post-punk anxiety, splintered techno elements and haunting soul samples, it's Danny Brown's rhyming ability that ultimately sees the LP flourish."[33] A. Harmony of Exclaim! said, "Overall, Atrocity Exhibition is chewy and eclectic, a rich experience that reveals a new surprise with each listen. Years from now, there will still be goodies to unpack."[34] Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian said, "His voice, agitatedly squawking and yet dainty as a ballerina, is one of contemporary music's greatest pleasures. He quotes Outkast's B.O.B on Today, and is the true successor to their trailblazing spirit."[24] Kevin Ritchie of Now said, "Thematically he might travel into dark and desperate places, but the idea that one can find salvation in music is made vividly real by the rush of energy that is Atrocity Exhibition."[35]

Mojo stated, "If not every experiment works, Brown's twinkling hook-up with Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul and Earl Sweatshirt on "Really Doe" totally surpasses its billing."[26] Damien Morris of The Observer said, "Normally you'd change carriages to avoid someone sounding this unhinged, but the 15 dosages Brown dispenses here are worryingly addictive."[27] Matthew Ramirez of Pitchfork said, "Atrocity Exhibition finds Brown back behind the lens, capturing raw emotion with grainy 16mm."[28] Emmanuel Elone of PopMatters said, "As an album, it is both as lovably outrageous as Danny Brown, but also as menacing and impenetrable as his city is. Ultimately, it is this duality that makes Atrocity Exhibition the masterpiece it is."[36] Sheldon Pearce of Spin said, "With help from frequent collaborators Paul White and Black Milk, UK electronic producer Evian Christ, and crate-digging maestro The Alchemist, Brown brings his persistent terrors to life."[37] Steve Yates of Q stated, "The oddball rapper with the humdrum name is carving out a space all of his own."[29] Andy Baber of musicOMH said, "The whole of Atrocity Exhibition takes Brown's craft to a new level, even if his delivery occasionally grates. It's by far the best thing he's released and confirms his arrival among the rap elite."[38]

Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound said, "These songs aren't for everyone, but they stand as some of the most fearlessly created music of the year—even if Brown sometimes sounds petrified for his life."[39] Christopher Weingarten of Rolling Stone said, "The fourth album from Detroit's Danny Brown is the year's most thrilling cry for help."[30] Bryce Jones of Slant Magazine said, "The music is dementedly, nihilistically danceable. The propulsion of certain tracks seems designed to irrevocably drag the listener into Brown's contemplative, paranoid psyche and deep-welled emotionality and, though stylized, intimates the horrors he's seen and felt."[31] Nick Hasted of The Independent said, "This fourth album is produced by south London's Paul White, and a shared taste for Talking Heads and especially Joy Division (the LP is named after their song, more than J. G. Ballard's novel) takes it way off the mainstream hip-hop map."[25] Scott Glaysher of XXL said, "At times, he comes across as brilliantly unorthodox with flows, genre-crossing beats and meticulously honest lyrics but those unfamiliar with his outré style may be pushed even further away from the album's peculiarity."[40]

Accolades

Publication List Rank Ref.
Complex The 50 Best Albums of 2016
12
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2016
25
The Guardian The 40 Best Albums of 2016
13
NME Top 50 Albums of 2016
16
Paste Top 50 Albums of 2016
21
Pitchfork Top 50 Albums of 2016
11
Rolling Stone Top 50 Albums of 2016
19
The Skinny Top 50 Albums of 2016
30
Stereogum Top 50 Albums of 2016
10
Spin Top 50 Albums of 2016
16
XXL 50 Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2016 N/A

The album was shortlisted by the Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) for the Album of the Year Award of 2016, which rewards on a yearly basis the best album released on an independent European label.[52]

Commercial performance

Atrocity Exhibition debuted at number 77 on the Billboard 200 chart, with 7,000 equivalent album units and nearly three million streams, in an abbreviated week.[53]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Downward Spiral"
 2:52
2."Tell Me What I Don't Know"
  • Sewell
  • White
 2:31
3."Rolling Stone" (featuring Petite Noir)
Petite Noir3:47
4."Really Doe" (featuring Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Earl Sweatshirt)
Black Milk5:19
5."Lost"
  • Sewell
  • Deven Welch
  • Chen Gexin
  • Taq Qin
Playa Haze2:07
6."Ain't It Funny"
  • Sewell
  • White
 2:57
7."Golddust"
  • Sewell
  • White
 2:24
8."White Lines"
The Alchemist2:23
9."Pneumonia"
Evian Christ3:39
10."Dance in the Water"
  • Sewell
  • White
 2:37
11."From the Ground" (featuring Kelela)
 2:18
12."When It Rain"
  • Sewell
  • White
 3:15
13."Today"
  • Sewell
  • White
 3:07
14."Get Hi" (featuring B-Real)
 3:33
15."Hell for It"
  • Sewell
  • White
 3:49
Total length:46:38

Notes

Sample credits

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[54] 48
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[55] 99
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[56] 50
French Albums (SNEP)[57] 161
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[58] 7
US Billboard 200[59] 77
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[60] 5

References

  1. 1 2 "Stream Danny Brown's New Album Atrocity Exhibition". Pitchfork. September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Meet Paul White, Danny Brown's Secret Weapon". DJBooth. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  3. ↑ "Danny Brown Wants His New Album To Prove He's The Best Rapper Alive". The Huffington Post. 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  4. ↑ "Danny Brown on Twitter: "Almost I took a break from it cause I'm so ahead of schedule with it knowing it ain't coming out no time soon"". Twitter. 2015-04-25. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  5. ↑ Rose Lilah (June 15, 2016). "Danny Brown Speaks On Moving To Warp Records & Upcoming Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ Young, Alex (2016-07-18). "Danny Brown has named his new album Atrocity Exhibition after the Joy Division song". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  7. ↑ "Danny Brown Announces New Album Title Atrocity Exhibition". Pitchfork. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  8. ↑ Renshaw, David (2016-07-18). "Danny Brown Names New Album Atrocity Exhibition". The Fader. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  9. ↑ Weingarten, Christopher R. (2016-08-16). "Danny Brown Details New LP 'Atrocity Exhibition'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  10. ↑ Lilah, Rose (2016-09-15). "Danny Brown – Rolling Stone | Stream [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  11. ↑ Timmhotep Aku. "All Songs +1: Danny Brown Shares New Song, Talks Nas And New Album : All Songs Considered". NPR. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  12. ↑ B. Dot (2016-07-18). "Danny Brown 'The Exhibition 2016' Tour Dates". Rap Radar. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  13. ↑ John Twells (2016-06-14). "Danny Brown signs to Warp, drops stunning 'When It Rain'". Fact. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  14. ↑ "Pneumonia – Single by Danny Brown on Apple Music". iTunes. 2016-08-19. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  15. ↑ Lilah, Rose (2016-08-18). "Danny Brown – Pneumonia (Prod. By Evian Christ) | Stream [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  16. ↑ "Hear Danny Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, and Ab-Soul on New Song "Really Doe"". Pitchfork. 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  17. ↑ SPIN (2016-09-19). "Danny Brown Unleashes New Song "Really Doe" Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul". Spin. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  18. ↑ "Really Doe (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt) – Single by Danny Brown on Apple Music". iTunes. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  19. ↑ Reed, Ryan (2016-09-19). "Hear Danny Brown, Kendrick Lamar on Gritty New 'Really Doe'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  20. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Created Danny Brown's "Really Doe" Single – DJBooth Article". Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  21. ↑ "Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Reviews for Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown". Metacritic. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  23. 1 2 Jeffries, David. "Atrocity Exhibition – Danny Brown". AllMusic. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  24. 1 2 Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (September 30, 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition review – hip-hop's great gonzo trailblazer". The Guardian. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  25. 1 2 Hasted, Nick (September 22, 2016). "Album reviews: Bruce Springsteen – Chapter and Verse, Okkervil River – Away, Warpaint – Heads Up, Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition, and more". The Independent. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  26. 1 2 "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition". Mojo (276): 89. November 2016.
  27. 1 2 Morris, Damien (October 2, 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition review – worryingly addictive". The Observer. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Ramirez, Matthew (October 3, 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  29. 1 2 Yates, Steve (November 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition". Q (365): 102.
  30. 1 2 Weingarten, Christopher (September 30, 2016). "Review: Danny Brown's 'Atrocity Exhibition' Is an Awesome, Bummed-Out Party". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  31. 1 2 Jones, Bryce (October 12, 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  32. ↑ Christgau, Robert (February 10, 2017). "Danny Brown Times Three: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  33. ↑ Hugh Leask (September 30, 2016). "Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition". Clash. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  34. ↑ A. Harmony (September 29, 2016). "Danny Brown Atrocity Exhibition". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  35. ↑ Ritchie, Kevin (October 5, 2016). ">>> With Atrocity Exhibition, Danny Brown has crafted his most vividly emotional and demented album". Now. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  36. ↑ Elone, Emmanuel (October 12, 2016). "Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhibition". PopMatters. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  37. ↑ Sheldon Pearce (September 30, 2016). "Review: Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition Is A Thrilling, Harrowing Ride". Spin. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  38. ↑ Baber, Andy (27 September 2016). "Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition". musicOMH. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  39. ↑ Madden, Michael (October 2, 2016). "Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  40. ↑ Scott Glaysher (October 12, 2016). "Danny Brown's 'Atrocity Exhibition' Is Both Brilliant and Bizarre". XXL. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  41. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Complex. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2016". Consequence of Sound. November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  43. ↑ "The Best Albums of 2016". The Guardian. November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  44. ↑ "NME's Albums of the Year 2016". NME. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  45. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Paste. November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  46. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  47. ↑ "50 Best Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2016". The Skinny. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  49. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Stereogum. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  50. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Spin. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  51. ↑ "50 Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2016". XXL. December 19, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  52. ↑ "25 artists up for best independent album of the year in Europe". Independent Music Companies Association. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  53. ↑ "Hip Hop Album Sales: Ty Dolla $ign, Danny Brown & Mick Jenkins". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  54. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  56. ↑ "Danny Brown – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Danny Brown. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  57. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 39, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  58. ↑ "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 3, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  59. ↑ "Danny Brown – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Danny Brown. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  60. ↑ "Danny Brown – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Danny Brown. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
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