The Summer of the 6 God: ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’ Mixtape Review

By Spencer Lobdell

Drake, photo courtesy of Republic Records

Rap’s biggest commercial superstar, Drizzy Drake, has been making lots of noise in 2020 as he prepares for the release of his 6th commercial album this summer. While hip-hop fans alike were aware of Drake’s recent spike in activity due to the viral hit “Toosie Slide” as well as recent SoundCloud freebies like “Chicago Freestyle” and “War,” no one was quite expecting Champagne Papi to announce the release of a surprise mixtape of leaks and throw-aways that would be available on all streaming platforms less than 24 hours after the announcement post.

Drake released Dark Lane Demo Tapes on May 1st, 2020 through OVO Records. The mixtape contains 14 songs with features from Playboi Carti, Young Thug, Future, Chris Brown and others.

Before diving into the music, it’s important to note where each track came from so we can conclude what this tape tells us about Drake’s sixth album. Four of the 14 tracks (“When To Say When”, “Chicago Freestyle”, “Desire”, & “War”) were released on SoundCloud over the past six months well one track was officially released by Drake on Spotify (“Toosie Slide”). Tracks “Deep Pockets” and “From Florida with Love” were initially recorded for Drake’s 2018 album Scorpion but didn’t make the final album and were eventually leaked in April 2020. Besides the two aforementioned tracks, we have every reason to believe that the rest of the music on Dark Lane Demo Tapes was recording for lucky album number six giving us a glimpse into what to expect this summer.

The first major takeaway from Dark Lane Demo Tapes is that Drake sounds hungrier than he has in recent memory. Something about Drake’s delivery sounds more urgent than it has in years - a welcomed deviation from the slew of complacent mid that he packed on 2018’s Scorpion. He displays this new drive on tracks like “When To Say When”, “Landed”, & “Losses” while also reminding us why we use to refer to Drake as a great rapper and not just a popstar. It seems like Drake is bringing back his long-winded, freestyle-esque tracks where verses are separated by brief pauses in the reflective bars if they’re separated at all. These instances where Drake accepts the challenge of bodying an entire song with no hook truly showcase Drizzy at his best as we remember that most of Drake’s most impressive tracks over the course of his career normally throw conventional song structure to the wind.

Photo: Splash News

Although Drake reminds us why he’s a great rapper through this tape of demos, he makes sure not to neglect his R&B fans on Dark Lane Demo Tapes. “Not You Too” features Chris Brown and showcases the two A-list artists trading sensual melodies over smooth ambient instrumental that are aided by a breath-taking synth slide halfway through the track. The song is classic singing Drake and is going to be played in idle cars with foggy windows for years to come. Drake doesn’t only make R&B for the bedroom though as the 7th track “Time Flies” sounds primed to be his next melodic hit and has the same addictive qualities as his 2018 viral smash “In My Feelings” without being half as obnoxious (please don’t turn this song into a viral trend).

Besides a very underwhelming Playboi Carti appearance, features pull their weight on Dark Lane Demo Tapes and even out perform Drizzy on certain songs, the first of which is the haunting “Chicago Freestyle”. On the track Drake calls on R&B’s next superstar Giveon who delivers a chilling hook that steals the spotlight and sets the tone for the track. Drake doesn’t go down without a fight though as the track showcases some of his most captivating writing and fascinating melodies. Every time I press play on “D4L” my day is made by Future’s “money counter” sound effects. “D4L” sounds like it was so much fun to record and the energy shines through making it one of the most infectious tracks on the tape. Fivo Foreign and Sosa Geek pop in for awesome guest verses on “Demons” adding something to the track that Drake simply couldn’t: Grit.

One of the most promising signs from Dark Lane Demo Tapes are the producers Drizzy chose to work with on the project. One of my biggest issues with Scorpion was boring production from Drake’s favorite in-house producer Noah “40” Shebib. Gone was the magic that the two shared during the Take Care days and all that was left was bland instrumentals that Drake tried to make work. It seems like Drake is taking a different approach to album number six as Dark Lane Demo Tapes has production credits from some of the most innovative producers in the game including Pi’erre Bourne, Southside, Cardogotwings, and OZ. The variation of production styles really seems to bring Drake’s music back to life in ways that I haven’t heard before. Hopefully Drake also embraced this collaborative attitude on album six, utilizing the surplus of gifted producers he has in his network to help lift him out of critical mediocrity and elevate back to the level he was on during the first half of his career.

It would be impossible to talk about producers on Dark Lane Demo Tapes without shining a light on veteran producer OZ who is having a moment in 2020. The beat maker already has three number one songs this year (“Life Is Good”, “Toosie Slide”, & “The Scotts”) and produced some of the best tracks on this new mixtape (“Time Flies” & “Losses”). OZ’s signature is a dreamy instrumental anchored by extensive hi-hat use, a style that gives Drake ample room to explore ear-worm melodies (“Time Flies”) or rattle off an emotional verse dripping in disdain (“Losses”). Oz’s outro on “Time Flies” is transcendent and gives the song a beautiful cherry on top that solidifies it as one of the best tracks on the mixtape.

The last two tracks on the mixtape house Drake flexing his versatility as he kills 6-minutes of UK inspired hip-hop that he’s dabbled with in the past but never fully dove into. As Drake successfully interpolates a European accent on “War” it’s hard not to see the potential for UK-Drake to become the multi-dimensional artist's third persona.

For being a mixtape full of loose freebies, Dark Lane Demo Tapes flows extremely well. Drake opens with three songs that flex his pen game and aim to intrigue fans of Drake the rapper before going into a four-song R&B run. Using “Time Flies” to fade back into rap, Drake then hits us with classic Drake bangers for the next five tracks before concluding the tape with his take on UK rap. Everything about the sequencing is perfect leading to Dark Lane Demo Tapes being more cohesive than the average mixtape.

Overall, Dark Lane Demo Tapes is a win for Drake fans everywhere. Not only did the six god gift us with a bunch of great new music to hold us over until his new album comes out, but even our favorite song on the project was consciously left off the album communicating that we should see an uptick in quality from this mixtape to the upcoming album. It’s hard for me to picture an album where songs like “D4L”, “Time Flies”, and “Demons”, are tossed to the side in favor of other tracks but believe me, that’s an album I’m VERY excited for.

Favorite TRacks

Chicago Freestyle (Feat. Giveon)

Time Flies

D4L (Feat. Future & Young Thug)

Rating: 8

Stream Dark Lane Demo Tapes here:

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Welcome to a New Party - 'PARTYMOBILE' Album Review

PARTYMOBILE may not be what exactly we wanted, but P gifts us with a quality collection of music to play in isolation. Maybe we needed this album to get us through quarantine…

By Amaya Lorick

Photo By Geordie Wood

After four years since PARTYNEXTDOOR’s last album, the Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter built serious momentum for his third studio album PARTYMOBILE. Although the Canadian artist had released two EPs (Colours 2 and Seven Days) between June and September of 2017, his fans were craving the distinct sound heard in his previous projects. 

Party’s official introduction to the world, PARTYNEXTDOOR (2013), shocked listeners with the perfect mix of R&B and alternative techno beats, creating a futuristic sound we did not know we needed. His debut album, PARTYNEXTDOOR 2 (2014), was a phenomenal follow-up to his introductory EP because fans were subtly hit with more cockiness and sex-induced lyrics than before. Though PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 had some skippable tracks, it did not disappoint and we learned more about his selfish behavior and toxicity within his relationships. Although we know Party is behind the demise of most of his romantic relationships, we still love him for his ability to acknowledge his faults. In PARTYMOBILE, PARTYNEXTDOOR is the same brutally honest, manipulative cheater. The only difference is that 26-year-old finally breaks off his drawn-out romance at the end of this album. 

In preparation for PARTYMOBILE, PARTYNEXTDOOR released “The News” and “Loyal” featuring Drake, on November 21, 2019. On January 4, 2020, Party tweeted that his album was coming soon but fans received the video for “Loyal” on the 21st of the month instead. A week later, Party announced that he needed until February to complete his album, and posted the PARTYMOBILE cover art. As February came to an end, fans were still confused about why the album had not arrived. On February 27, 2020, PARTYNEXTDOOR released another single titled “SPLIT DECISION,” and the singer announced PARTYMOBILE was available for presale and would finally be available on March 27th.

True to the latter promise, PARTYMOBILE was released by OVO Sound on March 27th, 2020. The 57-minute long album had features from Bad Bunny and Drake and a very surprising appearance from Rihanna. 

PARTYMOBILE begins with a minute-long introduction without the singer’s voice in “NOTHING LESS.” Anticipation is built as the song opens with a gasp for air and is followed by multiple echoes of the singer’s name embedded within the track. The beat drops halfway through the intro before Party opens with “Shawty, you get the best of me. Whatever is left of me.” What person does not want to dream about a partner who puts their all into a relationship? PARTYNEXTDOOR begins with a respectful track that sets a beautiful, yet sexy tone. 

Though there is not a single song to be skipped on PARTYMOBILE, the second song “TURN UP” was slightly underwhelming considering PARTYNEXTDOOR’s past projects. The track was upbeat but the lyrics allude to the repetitive nature throughout the entire album. “TURN UP” is a good song, but it may have also worked well as a shorter interlude. The same can be said about “SHOWING YOU” and “NEVER AGAIN.” At the same time, Party’s flawless transitions between each song are what allow them to grow on you. 

The three singles for PARTYMOBILE are positioned back-to-back-back following “TURN UP”. Ideally, you are supposed to relisten to each song as a key part of Party’s journey. In “THE NEWS,” PARTYNEXTDOOR recognizes that he and his love interest are not on the same page in their relationship. Party hints that he does not want a relationship but also does not want his woman to move on. Then, “SPLIT DECISION” is the acknowledgment of all the ill situations he put her through. He sings about her expression of mistrust and having to decide if she should break things off with Party for good. We recognize a tone shift in “LOYAL” as Party fights for his woman. After owning up to cheating in “SPLIT DECISION,” he hopes to influence her choice in giving him another chance. 

Any Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR collaboration is bound to be a banger. The two Canadian singers complement each other in a way that never fails, making “LOYAL” one of the best songs on the album. The strategic placement of “THE NEWS,” “SPLIT DECISION,” and “LOYAL” would have been genius if some sort of creative shift occurred within track six, “TOUCH ME”. 

Despite “TOUCH ME” being sonically pleasing, it was disappointing because of its similarity to “TURN UP.” Though the two songs are completely different in terms of production, PARTYNEXTDOOR is back to his old ways by insinuating he doesn’t truly misses his past relationship, but just misses the sex. By the time “TOUCH ME” is over, seasoned fans were either eagerly awaiting “BELIEVE IT” since it features Rihanna, or just hoping the next songs would be more exciting.

Considering we have not been blessed with new music from Rihanna since her collaboration with N.E.R.D. on “Lemon” in 2017, it is safe to say “BELIEVE IT” belongs to her and features PARTYNEXTDOOR. The two talented singers previously worked together on Rihanna’s album Anti (2016). Party wrote her song “Sex With Me” and co-wrote the popular dance song, “Work.” There is a possibility that “BELIEVE IT” could go up against “LOYAL” as a go-to song for this summer. “BELIEVE IT” is more suited for popular radio play compared to “LOYAL” because of its more upbeat chorus, consistency with lyrics, and it's later release date. 

You cannot speak of PARTYMOBILE without unpacking the already infamous song “SAVAGE ANTHEM.” The six-minute song opens with its deceiving chorus of “Don't hold your breath, Don't wait on my love.” Initially, you think that Party is going to do what he typically does and slightly disrespect the woman he spent the entire project obsessing over, but this song is packed with more shade than expected. Party is petty and goes into detail about his dysfunctional relationship with singer Kehlani. The track is believed to have been recorded sometime in 2016 which makes the wounds fresh for Party and explains the venom spewed over “SAVAGE ANTHEM.” In his first verse, PARTYNEXTDOOR references Kehlani’s at-the-time boyfriend Kyrie Irving by alluding to the NBA star’s old jersey number:

“I heard number two is your man now, don't mind me bein' number two now.”

Each time the chorus is repeated, PARTYNEXTDOOR grows more ruthless and if we didn’t already know the song was about Kehlani, he leaves no doubt on the fourth verse when he references her hometown of Oakland, California. 

Besides the obvious mistake of including the Bad Bunny remix of “LOYAL” and not allowing PARTYMOBILE to end with “SAVAGE ANTHEM,” PARTYNEXTDOOR provided us with a solid album. Longtime PARTYNEXTDOOR fans wanted a new addition to the sequel but PARTYMOBILE is the start of a new chapter. Given that the album goes against the major sound portrayed in the trio of projects with his name, it should be individually judged. The song with the closest sound to Party’s previous projects is track 13, “ANOTHER DAY.” I can not be the only one happy that the song still earned placement on the album after it was leaked in August 2019. PARTYNEXTDOOR fans wanted something deemed better than all of his previous projects. Ultimately, Party stayed well within his comfort-zone and relied on his effortless talent to deliver an album he knew would not flop.

favorite tracks

NOTHING LESS

ANOTHER DAY

SAVAGE ANTHEM

Rating: 8

Listen to PARTYMOBILE here:

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