Welcome back to your bi-weekly look into what kinda music people are making in their bedrooms nowadays.I asked people to send me demos to review (I also warned them of the good chance I might not like what I’m gonna hear) and this is what they gave me. If you have a demo you wanna send me, I’m afraid the doors are closed on submissions. I got enough to last me a for a while. When it is time for more, I will surely let you know via all of my many social networks.
The reviews work like so:
I do a brief write up of what I think and then rate the songs on a scale of 1-10 in these categories:
Production
Vocals
Listenability
Originality
To be honest, I wouldn’t take the number ratings too seriously. They’re pretty arbitrary and most people get between a 4 and 5 in general. I’m just saying, I do them cause people like to have numbers assigned to their art work. I feel you, guys.
Anyway, here’s this weeks batch…

Artist: Double b
Song:Thunder and devouring fire

This is ultimately decent but there’s nothing about it that stands out to me. The drums are okay. I’m not crazy about the main clav (?) part as a riff, especially to base the entire song around. Though, the way he fucks with it towards the end is kinda cool. It’s not badly put together or anything. It just doesn’t really evolve into anything that would have me coming back and listening again.
Production:4.5 out of 10
Vocals:N/A
Listenability:4.5 out of 10
Originality:4 out of 10

Artist::ShakySuperfly
Song:Mini-boss

That was a spastic little journey but packed a lot in just a minute plus. Listening to this, I feel as though it may be over my head. It’s crazy (in a good way). Tight little edits with seemingly tons of different sounds jammed together. It works well. So, while it’s not for me personally, I could definitely see some serious edm music nerd types losing their mind to this. Definitely high originality points on this one.
Production:6 out of 10
Vocals: N/A
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:7 out of 10

Artist: Firth
Song:Rise

I’m familiar with making some minimal music and sitting back thinking “Will this translate to the listener?”. It’s always a risk but , when it works, it’s really great. So, while I do respect where this guy’s coming from, this is one of those cases where the minimalism just doesn’t work. This isn’t difficult to listen to or obnoxious in any way…it’s just boring. And that’s the problem with minimalism when it misses.
Production:4 out of 10
Vocals: N/A
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:4 out of 10

Artist: 82 rex
Song: Landfill noise

You ever see a girl who’s like one tweaked chromosome away from being insanely beautiful? That’s how I feel about the first rapper. He’s so close. He’s got some great qualities but it’s just not there yet. The second dude is more typical and , thus, less interesting. The production is actually kinda enjoyable. Very weeded out and, actually, a good example of minimalism working out okay. It’s certainly no great feat but it does what it needs to do for the song.
Production:4.5 out of 10
Vocals:4.5 out of 10
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:3.5 out of 10

Artist:Qwalia
Song: Up all night

I’m not gonna lie, the second I hear a song start with that kinda of synth sound, my brain signs out a little. I don’t know why but it always leads into exactly what I think it will. This is no different. Kinda some weird euro sounding coffee shop music. This is a little more mellow than what i had in mind but the vibe is the same. But, personally, this kinda thing does nothing for me.
Production:3.5 out of 10
Vocals:n/a
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:2.5 out of 10

Artist: Dj Shikery
Song:Morning Beauty

Is it mellow coffee house music week? Jesus. Also, the second song that was submitted that features the sounds of rain. It’s not even Autumn yet guys!
Cool string loops. The drums are okay. I like how he chopped them but they sound a tiny bit thin overall. Some 808’s or other layers drums would fix that up though. This could be the demo of a beat that Common would eventually rap on about his girl or eating papaya on a beach. Either or.
All that said, it is a feel good track and, typically, that will win over any minor critiques I could throw at it.
Production:4.5 out of 10
Vocals:N/A
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:3 out of 10

Artist:Static Brothers
Song:Spirit hack data fiend

Oh jesus. This is a mess. The world has not been waiting for that amateur Beastie boys/El-P hybrid rap over a beat that sounds like a plane crashing. This is aggressive in spite of itself. The beat is unlistenable and the rapping is mixed low so it just sounds like someone sampled vocals and left them there as an after thought. I don’t doubt these dudes are talking about some deep shit on this track. Possibly chem-trails…maybe the illuminati. I can’t tell. My advice would be to scale back a little and master your craft a bit more before diving head first into avant garde noise rap.
Production:2 out of 10
Vocals:3 out of 10
Listenability:2 out of 10
Originality:4 out of 10

Artist: Star crossed lovers
Song:You never will

I was not expecting this from a group called “Star crossed lovers”. I’m confused as the group is seemingly a bunch of dudes. You guys in love? That’s sweet.
This is a hyped up , “check me out!” kinda rap track. It delivers on that. Feels like a track that would work well live. The beat is slightly frantic but it works for the two rappers to just spit over. I wasn’t blown away by any of the verses but I wasn’t horrified either. Solid but also nothing special.
Production:4.5 out of 10
Vocals:5 out of 10
Listenability:4.5 out of 10
Originality:4 out of 10

Artist:Wingspan
song:Been through it

This is a likable beat even though the drums are kinda thin. Good samples go a long way with me though. The whole vibe of the song is one that has been done many times over but that’s for a reason. The “guy rapping about his struggles/bragging over a soul sample” is nothing if not effective.
The rapper is cool but doesn’t sound fully comfortable. Kinda like he was reading the lyrics off of paper instead of just knowing them by heart.
Overall, it’s decent but very well tread territory.
Production:5 out of 10
Vocals:5 out of 10
Listenability:5 out of 10
Originality:2 out of 10

Artist:Less Class
Song: Nola

Not a fan of the “breathless” style but this guy can rap pretty well. Lyrically, he’s a little corny but he’s got the right amount of confidence to even it out. Not exactly dropping any lyrical miracles but he’s solid.
The beat…is really good. I liked it the second it started. I almost feel like the drums that come in actually were a bit of a let down (something harder or even some bouncy 808 sounding shit would suited this better, in my opinion) but the sample chop is slick and the chorus guitar riff is perfect. I can’t say the producer is very polished but he definitely has a good ear for sounds.
Production:5.5 out of 10
Vocals:5 out of 10
Listenability:5.5 out of 10
Originality:4 out of 10

Which demo is your favorite?