Exmilitary, also known as Ex Military, is the debut mixtape by experimental hip hop group Death Grips. It was released for free on April 25, 2011, through the band's website.[3]

Exmilitary
Mixtape by
ReleasedApril 25, 2011
Recorded2011
Genre
Length48:28
LabelSelf-released
ProducerDeath Grips
Death Grips chronology
Death Grips
(2011)
Exmilitary
(2011)
The Money Store
(2012)
Black Google
Cover of Black Google
Singles from Exmilitary
  1. "Guillotine"
    Released: August 3, 2011

Background edit

The mixtape was released for free through Death Grips' official website, thirdworlds.net, on April 25, 2011.[4] It later appeared on the net label Grindcore Karaoke.[5] It was simultaneously released through iTunes. The track "Guillotine" was released through iTunes on August 3, 2011. "Guillotine" has become one of the band's most recognized songs. Other tracks released with music videos include "Known for it", "Culture Shock", "Lord of the Game", "Spread Eagle Cross the Block", "Takyon (Death Yon)", and "Beware".

According to Andy Morin, the cover art is a photograph that an undisclosed Death Grips member "carried in their wallet for roughly 10 years straight [...] it's a power object".[6] It was eventually identified as "Bearded Man at Oenpelli", a photo of an Aboriginal Australian man taken by Douglass Baglin in 1968 for his and David R. Moore's book The Dark Australians.[7][8]

Due to the samples used in Exmilitary not being cleared, the mixtape was later removed from streaming services and released exclusively through the band's website in vinyl, CD, and cassette formats. However, the single "Guillotine" remains on streaming services.[9][10][11]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
Consequence of Sound     [13]
Drowned in Sound9/10[14]
The Guardian     [15]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)   [16]
Pitchfork7.5/10[17]

The mixtape has received universal acclaim from critics. On Metacritic it has a score of 82 out of 100 based on reviews from 7 critics.[12] In one very positive review, John Calvert of Drowned in Sound focused on the mentality of the character that the album revolves around and how it reflects the inner nature of man, citing the lyricism and sound production as being focal points around this sound and style.[14] Nate Patrin of Pitchfork gave Exmilitary a 7.5, describing the mixtape as "a bludgeoning slab of hostility" that avoids being an "overbearing mess".[17]

Black Google edit

On September 8, 2011, the group released a teaser video for an upcoming project titled Black Google.[18] It was later released on the band's website for free and revealed to be all of the instrumentals, stems, and acapellas for fans to remix and record with. The cover of Black Google features a heavily darkened version of the cover of Exmilitary with the word "Exmilitary" replaced with "Black Google". Black Google, for the band itself, is a "portal to the deconstruction of Exmilitary."[19]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Death Grips

No.TitleLength
1."Beware"5:53
2."Guillotine"3:43
3."Spread Eagle Cross the Block"3:52
4."Lord of the Game" (featuring Mexican Girl)3:30
5."Takyon (Death Yon)"2:48
6."Cut Throat (Instrumental)"1:12
7."Klink"3:22
8."Culture Shock"4:21
9."5D"0:43
10."Thru the Walls"3:56
11."Known for It"4:13
12."I Want It I Need It (Death Heated)"6:11
13."Blood Creepin"4:50
Total length:48:28

Sample credits edit

Personnel edit

Death Grips
  • MC Ride – vocals
  • Zach Hill – drums, percussion, production
  • Andy Morin – keyboards, programming, production
  • Mexican Girl – additional vocals (4)

References edit

  1. ^ Walls, Seth Colter (September 9, 2011). "In Defense of Rap Rock". Slate. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  2. ^ "Death Grips – The Money Store". Fact. April 16, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "Ex-Military". thirdworlds.net. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  4. ^ "Death Grips - Ex Military". Thirdworlds. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "Exmilitary | Death Grips | Grindcore Karaoke". Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Lannister, Leif. "The Hands of Doom - Who & What is Death Grips". Coolehmag.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "This will interest some". Reddit. January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "The Dark Australians by Douglass Baglin & David R. Moore Hardcover 1st Ed 1970". eBay. September 14, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  9. ^ "Death Grips - Ex Military". Discogs. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "Death Grips - Ex Military". Discogs. December 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  11. ^ "Death Grips - Ex Military". Discogs. September 19, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Reviews for Exmilitary by Death Grips". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  13. ^ Choudhery, Möhammad (June 27, 2011). "Album Review: Death Grips – Exmilitary". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  14. ^ a b Calvert, John (August 8, 2011). "Album Review: Death Grips – Ex Military". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  15. ^ MacInnes, Paul (December 22, 2011). "Death Grips: Ex-Military – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  16. ^ Christgau, Robert (January 2013). "Expert Witness". MSN Music. Retrieved March 17, 2024 – via robertchristgau.com.
  17. ^ a b Patrin, Nate (June 30, 2011). "Death Grips: Exmilitary". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  18. ^ "Death Grips – Black Google". YouTube. September 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  19. ^ "Black Google Download". Thirdworlds.net. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  20. ^ "Beware by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  21. ^ "Spread Eagle Cross the Block by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". Whosampled. whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  22. ^ "Lord of the Game by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  23. ^ "Takyon (Death Yon) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  24. ^ "Cut Throat (Instrumental) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  25. ^ "Klink by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  26. ^ "Culture Shock by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  27. ^ "5D by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  28. ^ "Thru the Walls by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  29. ^ "Known for It by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  30. ^ "I Want It I Need It (Death Heated) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes". whosampled.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.

External links edit