Dark Lane Demo Tapes by Drake

When Drake released the dance-routine-ready “Toosie Slide” roughly a month ahead of his *Dark Lane Demo Tapes*, fans were near incredulous that he’d discovered yet another musical frontier in which to stake his claim. (Those who weren’t busy choreographing TikTok videos to the song, anyway.) With the release of *Dark Lane Demo Tapes*, Drake delivers a handful of additional forays into the sound of right now. The project, per Drake’s own Instagram, features music compiled by OVO cohorts Oliver El-Khatib and Noel Cadastre, and comprises “some leaks and some joints from SoundCloud and some new vibes.” Found within are Drake-helmed masterpieces of post-regional drill music (“Demons,” “War”), linkups with Future (“Desires”) and Chris Brown (“Not You Too”), and a Pi’erre Bourne-produced Playboi Carti collaboration (“Pain 1993”), as well as the kind of hazy, regret-steeped R&B that so many contemporary playlists are built on (“Time Flies”). In its approach to these familiar vibes, this particular collection of music is the most of-the-moment Drake has ever sounded—more present than his usual prescient.

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6.8 / 10

Drake’s new project is a mixtape of glossy “demos” from the recent past. It showcases his precise delivery, sticky flows, and arena-sized hooks, but comes with a fair amount of well-tread material.

3 / 10

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

Drake’s 14-track surprise mixtape is heavy on reflection, without much fun — and might be his gloomiest release ever.

Made up of leaks, one-off singles, and old demos, Drake's Dark Lanes Demo Tapes is a comparatively short collection of typically murky and melancholy tracks interspersed with the occasional pop track and semi-rambunctious feature.

7 / 10

Whether you love or hate Drake, it's impossible to deny and — for the most part — match the hype he's able to create. After again breaking B...

There are moments of skill and rawness in this odds-and-ends mixtape but it feels like a clumsy lunge at commercial success

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