by Digital Wasteland, the latest project from Phoenix-based Mr. Uu, offers aesthetically diverse and fast-paced hip hop with logged-on sensibilities. Wearing influence on its sleeve, this record quickly switches between pop trap, tread, glitch, and Goth Boi Clique-esque styles. Mr. Uu’s delivery runs the gamut from fast-paced witticisms to dancehall to yell-shouted distorted vocals. Crisp production and variety really help this record shine. The varying concepts and styles on Digital Wasteland pull from assorted corners of online experience, and each track seems to offer something different.
“Electronic Thug” as an opener certainly sets the tone as a fast-paced catchy head shaker about Twitter trolls or “digital monsters.” Kick, snare, percs, and textures pop and sizzle, leaving room for one liners like: “Follow you on Twitter? No thanks / You have more Twitter drama than Azealia Banks.” Tracks like “For the Camera” or “All Used Up” are slower-paced, sadboi-esque songs with rap-sung vocals, whereas tracks (mostly towards the latter half of the record) like “Darksyde,” “The Beast Inside,” “Treal,” and “Karma” take on darker, more amped-up shouted delivery.
Overall, it’s an interesting record that’s well done and has a lot going on: production, vocals, one liners, and variety are strong points. It’s fun to see Mr. Uu incorporate references to Digimon, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Speed Racer, and other pop cultural touchstones into the aesthetic medley that is Digital Wasteland. He collects stylistic influence in a similar way to bridge the gap between seemingly distinct media and moods. Fans of Death Grips, Injury Reserve, JPEGMAFIA, Xavier Wulf, Craig Xen, or the substantial umbrella term that is “Soundcloud rap” might find a lot to like here.
