Dark Lane Demo Tapes

Drake - Dark Lane Demo Tapes
Critic Score
Based on 10 reviews
2020 Ratings: #869 / 871
User Score
2020 Rank: #988
Liked by 124 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

72
HipHopDX
Once again Drizzy has found a way to craft songs that will deeply resonate with some and less with others, continuing to get listeners to press play — quality be damned.
70
Exclaim!

As an appetizer to hold over fans until his album drops this summer, Dark Lane Demo Tapes serves its purpose. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but that doesn't matter. This album is a hit, whether you like it or not.

68
Pitchfork

Demo Tapes contains moments of precise delivery, sticky flows, and hooks primed to be enjoyed in the context of an arena show, but there’s a fair amount of well-tread material, too.

60
AllMusic

This collection is a nice gift for fans who wanted all these stray tracks gathered up in one easily accessible place and shows that Drake's cast-offs aren't far from his keepers and his minor moves are still worth following just in case he comes up with something genius.

60
Rolling Stone

The 14-track surprise mixtape is heavy on reflection, without much fun.

40
NME

Drizzy fails to learn the lessons from his previous album, 'Scorpion', on this bloated and unnecessary release, which veers from recycled ideas to outright duds.

40
The Guardian
There are flashes of skill and rawness in this odds-and-ends mixtape but it feels like a clumsy lunge at commercial success.
32
Beats Per Minute
For how long can this go on? Will our collective consciousness ever move on, or will Drake finally suffocate any and all originality to the point that we all forget what something resembling urgency felt like?
30
The Needle Drop
Drake drops another 'care package' that could've used more care.
20
The Young Folks

Drake used to be a pioneer of sound and style, but now I wonder if there’s even a place for him creatively anymore.

LarryDavid
100

Yea we know you all hate Drake, he has a God featured on Pain 1993 just enjoy greatness.

NickBrick
10

This is absolutely atrocious. This is drakes try at trying to make a Tik Tok soundtrack. How is this good and why is the score 91?

Ok so y’all hate me cuz y’all praising genericness. Drake has never been anything special to me. He has been overhyped to put it bluntly. However, I did rly enjoy If You’re Reading this, although it lacked anything special and just went hard. Drake, besides being an annoying and cringy individual, has made bad music for awhile now. I did not like ... read more

Doublez
57

Although he sits quietly in total comfort, Dark Lane Demo Tapes is a relaxed and fun new project that proves that he doesn't care about critics anymore. He's just making money and just making music, and I don't think we can finally blame him.

What can we expect from Drake today? Or at least what can we no longer expect from him? For me, nothing special. Drake is comfortably installed at the head of rap, more globally popular music as if no gossip, no critics and no beef could really stop him ... read more

Popsicles
56

At least the cover really fits the vibe of the album in the sense that it’s a little interesting but also boring to look at. A lot of these songs including Toosie Slide are fine on their own but when you put them all together I’m sleeping through it

Kareemwastaken
62

Drakes effort on making a trap album, it can be very boring and awfully dreadful. But the highlights on the project are very fun and great. Unfortunately after this he never seemed to be able to hit with a project ever again.

ElParaguas
80

El álbum no es tan malo ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

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Track List

1Deep Pockets
3:42
69
2When To Say When
3:43
64
3Chicago Freestyle
3:40
with Giveon
80
4Not You Too
4:29
60
5Toosie Slide
4:07
46
6Desires
3:57
feat. Future
59
7Time Flies
3:12
64
8Landed
2:32
64
9D4L
3:09
71
10Pain 1993
2:29
66
11Losses
4:31
57
12From Florida With Love
3:54
56
13Demons
3:24
58
14War
3:00
56
Total Length: 49 minutes

Year End Lists

#28/Complex
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Added on: April 30, 2020