TV Obsessive
Death in Real Life by Deathirl & Ada Rook
Hal: My favourite EP of 2020 was Stigmata, a relentless dose of rap metal from artist Backxwash, the title track of which featured two guest artists: rapper Deathirl and producer-guitarist Ada Rook. Backxwash and Rook’s chemistry had been established on previous tracks, but Deathirl’s contribution on the bridge was a magnificent complement to the track’s howling and elastic flows and grinding multi-layered beat. Further crossovers from this circle were tantalising and fans prayers were answered with a full, self-titled Deathirl EP produced by Rook. Backxwash doesn’t make an appearance, however the intro track and “GOD FLOW” feature supporting vocals from GODDEXX.
Artistically Deathirl has much in common with Backxwash, screaming gutturally over blown out rattling trap beats, with rap’s propensity for bragging exploded to unholy proportions. Between Playboi Carti and Lil Nas X, there’s been an upsurge in satanic imagery and aesthetics in mainstream rap, but there’s little support for it in the lyrics of those artists. Rappers like Deathirl and Backxwash approach the imagery with far more credibility and grit in their voices, making Lil Nas X and Playboi Carti sound like kids dressing up for Halloween by comparison. When Deathirl repeats “imma kill a God” above his chorus’s grinding breakdown, it’s enough to convince you he wouldn’t break a sweat doing it. This track was originally intended to have a verse from Backxwash but Deathirl makes up for her absence in tribute. Besides shouting her out, the flow he uses on the second verse here is very reminiscent of the head bobbing, Shady-esque flow Backxwash used on her phenomenal song “Black Sheep”. It also comes with the knife twisting final bar “you can f*****g burn in hell, I found the devil in me”.
Bracketed with a shorter “INTRO” and “OUTRO”, the main body of the EP is made up of three phenomenal tracks: “BANANAS”, “GOD FLOW” and “F**K YOU RENT DO”, each is absolutely insane, in their own way. “BANANAS” is a particular favourite, sounding like an inspired cross between the aggressive and accessible industrial sounds of early Death Grips and the thematic content of a 2007-era M.I.A., transplanting gangster stereotypes into the theatre of post-colonial violence: “load the clip, make it rain. Now what you know ‘bout killin’ men for sugarcane?” The out of nowhere Gwen Stefani reference is pure heavenly absurdism in amongst the intensity.
“F**K YOU RENT DO” is one of the more exciting conceptual tracks I’ve heard recently, with the ratchet energy used to satirise the position of landlords exploiting tenants and driving the impoverished into crime. As with “BANANAS” it’s a fantastic example of punk, socially aware rap music that hangs onto a cathartic and playful energy, with Deathirl’s rising orgasmic moans on the chorus a ridiculous touch. Ada Rook also features vocally on the track, with a screamed bridge that makes you wince for her poor throat.
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Those are our recommendations this week! What are yours? Let us know in the comments!
