Come to DMG - Damage Media Group (LP) (Hiphop) What a pleasure it’s been to listen to the showcase of Memphis, Tennessee talent that is Damage Media Group’s 10-track album Come to DMG. High quality mixing and mastering with a fresh hiphop sound, the album is a soaring success without a single weak track in the bunch. Below, we break into some of our standout tracks and the elements that make the project so successful.
We start with the sound. Come to DMG starts off on a somber note with the broody Remedy, introducing us to the soundscape that will permeate the entire collection. With every song, we’re looking at those crisp trap drumkits and booming 808s. In addition, the tracks stick with a consistent tempo, committing to head bopping and two-stepping mid tempos. In lesser hands, this choice could quickly turn monotonous or make every track sort of blend together and lose its distinctiveness. Not so with Come to DMG, we’re happy to report, which strikes a perfect balance between establishing a unified sound while using slight variations—typically in the complimenting synth bass leads—to give each track its own unique identity.
And of course what helps with that are the collection of stars in the making that feature on each track. When Damage Media Group defines itself as a collection of Memphis talent, we think the label is far too limiting—this is a group of universal talent, who just HAPPEN to all be from Memphis. This isn’t just the best Memphis has to offer, this is the best independent hiphop has to offer.
The lyrics are incredibly clever, the flows varying and all riding their respective beats expertly, and the vocalists all shine and soar. Normally, we’d pick standout songs on these points but we wouldn’t want to make any of these artists feel left out, who all succeed in their own right. So instead, let’s just talk about some of our personal favorites.
First off, title track Remedy is a very strong number and a great way to start the selection. It trots out of the gade with ease, not giving it all away quite yet. The sound took us back to JD in the 00s—think Emancipation of Mimi days—and this one specifically was reminding us of Mary J’s “Be Without You.” As with most of the tracks, the instrumental is impressively mixed and mastered, but restrained, thereby accomplishing what Damage Media Group has set out to do—highlight the performers. 808, drumkit, a few keys, and otherwise just sit back and let the rappers and vocalists lead the way.
Get Some Money is a certified bop and reminds us a lot of Missy’s “Throw it Back” and boy do we wish we had a car with a suped up stereo to listen to this on. Same goes with Own and Sky is Falling. Our personal favorite, though, is Call You Right Back which for us is one that knocks hardest, flows superbly and had the best replay potential. This is the one to invest in, we think, and get placements. There’s a real retro feel to it—for some reason we were reminded of Juvenile—and the sung elements really elevate the song. And finally, we have to shout out Complicated, which closes the EP with what we think is a sound that differs the most from the rest of the album, using a fanfare of brass to give the track a real finale feel. We could hear this beat on a Jasmine Sullivan project.
Hats off to Damage Media Group—you’re repping Memphis very well.