Danny Brown’s new album, Atrocity Exhibition, takes its name from a Joy Division song. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the Detroit MC revealed that Ian Curtis’ post-punk outfit isn’t the only unlikely influence that shaped his forthcoming fourth LP, the follow-up to 2013’s Old.
Brown also found inspiration in the likes of Björk, Talking Heads, Raekwon, System of a Down’s Toxicity. In putting together the album, he recruited an equally eclectic group of producers, including England’s Evian Christ, South Africa’s Petite Noir, Detroit’s Black Milk, and The Alchemist, in addition to longtime collaborator Paul White.
Atrocity Exhibition is said to be more sample-based than Old, with Brown spending $70,000 just to clear the many sam. “A lot of people cheap. And that’s why their music sounds cheap,” Brown told Rolling Stone. “I wanna make timeless stuff, so you’re gonna have to spend a couple dollars. You could have Rolex or you can have a Swatch.”
In terms of guest appearances, Brown put together the first studio collaboration between Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt, who, along with Ab-Soul, are featured on “Really Doe”. Kelela guests on “From the Ground” and Cypress Hill’s B-Real joins in on “Get Hi”.
Brown told Rolling Stone that he took his time putting this album together, a luxury he admits other artists don’t always have for fear of being replaced. “With me, [I’m] somebody that’s able to sit down and be able to take my time, ’cause aint nobody gonna be out here sounding like me, ain’t nobody gonna be out here doing what I do. I’m confident in this project to know that I’mma satisfy the people that’s already fans of my music. So, if you’re a fan of Danny Brown, you in for a treat.”~
Atrocity Exhibition is due out September 30th from his new label home, Warp Records. Check out the album artwork up top and the tracklist below.
Atrocity Exhibition Tracklist:
01. Downward Spiral
02. Tell Me What I Don’t Know
03. Rolling Stone (feat. Petite Noir)
04. Really Doe (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul & Earl Sweatshirt)
05. Lost
06. Ain’t It Funny
07. Goldust
08. White Lines
09. Pneumonia
10. Dance In The Water
11. From The Ground (feat. Kelela)
12. When It Rain
13. Today
14. Get Hi (feat. B-Real)
15. Hell For It
Revisit the album’s first revealed track, “When It Rain”, below.
