I have been seeing Danny!‘s name for a while. I always lament what a struggle his google results must be, and then with Danny Brown blowing up it just further complicates things. There is usually this direct relationship between an artist’s googleability and their art. It seems that folks who settle on a name, with absolutely no regard for the value of being able to be googled usually don’t make music I wanna listen to. It kind of makes sense being that this is the internet age, but the important thing here is that Danny! does not fall into that category. Danny! is a clear exception.

ON Dream Extinguished we get the wrap-up to his 3 LP series of instrumental releases. Mostly new material this release also features beats that have been picked up by Danny Brown, and Wale. Dude is gettin his work in. And after 2 or 3 tracks it will be easy to tell why. Danny! walks a tricky line and does it seemingly oblivious to the pitfalls that commonly overtake others who attempt such musical endeavors. Danny! is playing very close to the core of hip hop with a lot of soul, and jazz samples. But like his internet-entrenched contemporaries his approach to recontextualizing this music is something entirely suited, but wholly unheralded. This is the kind of record you listen to when you’re not worried about what’s cool, and you just wanna hear music that sounds good. Music that the cool kids probably didn’t realize they should be talking about yet.

- Zachg