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Writer's pictureBryce Mazeika

Drop in the Bucket Reviews - PARKKR - DYSFUNCTIONAL DEMOS


 


DYSFUNCTIONAL DEMOS a nineteen track project by PARKKR begins with Endtroduction, where he introduces the listener to the concept of the album. In his own words it is a “true reflection of my personal dysfunctions” which cover “highs, lows, emotions, ambitions, dreams, and moments of bravado.” This final point is an understatement— from a lyrical perspective, PARKKR blends a heavy dose of bravado and intermingles it with a refreshing melancholy, churning out album with braggadocios highs and somber lows.


Listeners are catapulted into a bevy of tracks where the artist displays his ability to big himself up while covering a vast array of topics including drugs, sex, and dangerous behavior, all while including his own perspective to these common discussions. That said, PARKKR recognizes that the lifestyle he raps about often ends in less than pristine terms: “Play dead. No rules to the game and we never gon’ change. I said: live fast, die young so we’re never too late. No rest. And we never slow down ‘til we end up in the grave. This duality is what makes PARKKER’s album different. There is a constant tension between the hype and unfortunate reality. The songs never veer into unfamiliar territory or lose their subject matter, and this undercurrent of melancholia permeates throughout the demos. I do worry, however, that PARKKR falls and will fall into the trap of overindulging in particular rhyme patterns. Repeated rhyming of through/you becomes obvious toward the end of the album. However, I do appreciate that he plays with his schemes, jumping from AABB to ABCB at times, which freshens the sound. He also has moments of multisyllabic rhymes that break up the monotony of single syllable rhymes I’d personally love to see PARKKR post his lyrics for further analysis. It is clear in listening to PARKKR that he has a clear and concise style. He never attempts to step outside of this lane, and that lends to an overall cohesiveness through all nineteen songs. The beat choice helps add impact to the songs, but I do wish, that some of the songs were mixed differently. The vocals shine and stand on top of the beat, sometimes too much. On songs like Metropolis, Fourteen, and January, every part of the beat minus the drums take a back seat, and that’s unfortunate because that background instrumentals lend a lot to the songs. Sometimes, it sounds like PARKKR is rapping exclusively over drums and hats. The two instrumental interludes Seroquel and Melatonin are great, and these titles add a layer to PARKKR’s content. As far as aesthetics, I think a lot more could have been done with the project’s artwork. Sure, it lends itself to a dark and broody vibe, and the scratch-marks over the photo do speak to some sort of dysfunctionality, it doesn’t do enough. Further, the inconsistency in capitalizing song titles seems random. Overall, the blend of bluster and introspection makes DYSFUNCTIONAL DEMOS worth the listen.


6.2/10


 

You can find DYSFUNCTIONAL DEMOS on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.

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