Album Review: Danny Brown – Uknowhatimsayin

Danny Brown is a weird guy – a Detroit-born alternative-hip hop nutter with a big hipster following thanks to his lyrical references to classic rock and indie. Brown's music straddles a unique line between troubling, in-your-face derangement and, "What is this shit?" goofiness. His previous album, the abrasive and depressing Atrocity Exhibition, will most likely go down as 'The Big One' in his discography. So now, with the deep end of Danny Brown all mapped out, it seems like the logical thing to do would be to try and capture the other end of his spectrum: Danny Brown, the clown.

His latest release, Uknowhatimsayin mostly succeeds at that goal. It's funny as hell, with a varied tempo of moods and atmospheres thanks to producer Q-Tip's colourful beats. The friends he's brought along for the ride all kill it with their verses. And of course, it's just generally fucking bonkers. The only problem is, it's also flat-out not as memorable as something like XXX or Atrocity Exhibition. That doesn't mean that it's not worth your time, because if you're a fan of Brown, it's most definitely a worthy new addition. To everyone else though, Uknowhatimsayin will probably only serve as a fun gateway to the talents of Danny Brown if his other albums wigged you out too much.