Content warning: mentions of suicidal ideation.
Quadeca, a genre-bending musician known for blending electronic and organic elements in his music, recently released his fifth studio album “SCRAPYARD,” following a series of EPs titled “SCRAPYARD” I, II, and III. His new project is mainly a collection of scrapped songs and extras from his earlier album “I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You” (IDMTHY), along with a few not associated with “IDMTHY.” The release of the separate EPs gained a lot of attention for “SCRAPYARD,” with songs like “A LA CARTE” and “DUSTCUTTER” generating the most buzz. Does the album hold up to the same standards as his previous releases; or is it a scrapyard of failed demos?
“DUSTCUTTER” is the first song and brings a sorrowful opening to the album. This track was originally on “IDMTHY,” but was cut and moved to the vinyl copy of the project. It retains the same theme and character Quadeca embodied in “IDMTHY” — a ghost stuck between life and death after his suicide — with heavy-hearted lyrics about wanting to continue the life he has left behind. The way he cries, “Please don’t leave me out in the cold, leave me out to dry” touches my soul. The production of this song is also immaculate, pulling you into the project with a distorted vocal pluck layered over a grungy guitar. I loved this song and thought it was an amazing opening to the project. 9/10.
“A LA CARTE” was the first song fans heard from the series of EPs, with a feature and co-production by Brakence — another very talented producer and songwriter. The beautiful guitars and groovy drums carry this song nearly through its entirety. Quadeca’s vocals are good on this, but he’s not saying anything particularly meaningful. This is disappointing, as the power behind “IDMTHY” was its story. Brakence sounded on par as well, but his lyrics follow his usual schtick of crying during sex, doing drugs, and being in love. The bass colliding with Quadeca’s vocals does add a nice touch to the overall track. Overall, I was slightly disappointed. 7/10.
“PRETTY PRIVILEGE” opens with a slight jumpscare, as Quadeca tearfully screams in your ear, “Why did you say I was pretty?” The lyrics tell an emotional story about how Quadeca never receives compliments or praise. The lines “Lucky me, you looked at me like you just noticed something new / I’m sucking in my stomach just to hug you like you want me to,” hit listeners with another level of emotion. The production of this song is also really cool, becoming more ambient as the song progresses. Overall, I like this track. 8.5/10.
If there were to be an award for the most beautiful opening to a song, it would go to “EASIER.” The way the piano and strings graced my eardrums was unlike anything I’ve heard in music in recent years. I absolutely love the lyrical content of this track as well; even though it’s a love song and has very generic lines, the overall vibe of the track matches it so well. I don’t think Quadeca had the most stellar vocal performance on this track, but it works well enough. 8/10.
“EVEN IF I TRIED” is such a disappointing track. The first half is a callback to Quadeca’s earlier rap career, but it doesn’t work. The beat he’s rapping over is too chaotic, and the sounds he uses clutter everything. The lyrical content is also quite generic and doesn’t seem to be about anything in particular. The second half of this song is the only thing saving this track. The beat improves dramatically, yet still isn’t able to match Quadeca’s energy. I’m not a big fan of this one. 4.5/10.
Quadeca fan Alejandro McKamey-González compares listening to “WHAT’S IT TO HIM?” to “getting slapped in the face by John Lennon.” The Beatles’ influence on this track is overpowering; the introduction sounds like something straight out of “Revolver.” However, the energy dies off fairly quickly, as Quadeca’s vocals become more monotone. There were a few lines about “IDMTHY” in here, but overall the track wasn’t about anything in particular. However, I enjoyed this one. 8/10.
I’m extremely torn on my opinion regarding “U DON’T KNOW ME LIKE THAT.” I love the instrumental, but the vocals are done like it’s a 100 gecs song. 100 gecs is a hyperpop duo known for their heavily autotuned, chaotic sound. The two styles clash, but somehow the combination works. The lyrics follow a similar theme of “A LA CARTE,” with Quadeca breaking free from a toxic relationship. The Beatles’ influence is also apparent in this song, which is confusing with the 100 gecs-style verses. 6.5/10.
“I MAKE IT LOOK EFFORTLESS” is flaunting its lack of effort, with extremely lazy and repetitive lyrics, and an overall boring beat. However, the ending has a cool master clipping, and the drums were punching through the mix. However, with only 10 seconds of the song being its saving grace, I was extremely disappointed after my first run-through. I felt like a cornball listening to it. 4/10.
“WAY TOO MANY FRIENDS” is interesting in that it touches upon the dynamics of popularity rather than loneliness. “You never hear anyone write about how draining it is to interact with people all the time,” McKamey-González states. “[You usually] hear about people being isolated and alone.” With the percussion being 100% pure ear candy — a common theme on this album — and the piano’s raw, roomy sound, the instrumental comes together perfectly. My only criticism is that he repeats “I got way too many friends” too often. 9/10.
“GUESS WHO?” is what “EVEN IF I TRIED” should have been. It’s a more rap-focused song, with callbacks to Quadeca’s previous rap career. Some of the bars in this song are crazy, like, “Yeah true, I play with the money (Mané) in your pitch like my name Salah.” The lyric is a double entendre for Quadeca flexing his money, and a reference to former Liverpool FC player Sadio Mané, who had good chemistry with the current Liverpool FC player, Mohamed Salah. The beat is also well-produced; I love how it gets more aggressive as the song progresses. 7/10.
“UNDER MY SKIN” is one of my favorites, if not my favorite, on this project. Though it sounds like an unfinished demo off “IDMTHY” — which it is — I love the vibe of it. One issue I have, and one that producer Paulo agrees with, is that it’s “drowning in reverb;” so much so that it’s hard to understand him at times. However, the lyrical content resonates with me. Overall, this is a 10/10.
“BEING YOURSELF” is another scrapped demo from “IDMTHY,” and it was originally posted on Quadeca’s SoundCloud after “IDMTHY” was released. “Weird” is the only way I can define this song, with tonal percs and drones being the main instruments on this track. The lyrical content is very on theme with “IDMTHY.” It almost sounds like a prelude to “cassini’s division,” in which the ghost has reached the end of his journey, accepting his suicide and also his regret of committing suicide. A very emotional track. 8/10.
“U TRIED THAT THING WHERE U WERE HUMAN” is the most raw song on this project. It sounds unfinished, but it works. It’s a scrapped demo from “IDMTHY” following the same theme, and also sounds like a prelude to “cassini’s division.” The song’s ending is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever heard, with a wide, ambient finish. However, the song is too unfinished. If this track were less raw, it would be one of my favorites. 6.5/10.
“GUIDE DOG” is my second favorite on this project. The track is undermixed, tapping into a raw sadness. Again, he was able to turn a generic love song into an emotional masterpiece with his sound choices. The background strings and piano melodies add so much weight to the body of this track, capturing a feeling of regret and love at the same time. This song is so beautiful, and the one I would most recommend from this project. 10/10.
“TEXAS BLUE (feat. Kevin Abstract)” is a beautifully composed piece. Each verse and chorus tackles a different mental state within a relationship’s lifespan. The instrumental complements the lyrics perfectly as well. The vocals and harmony on this song capture a bittersweet feeling — the cherry on top of a perfect song. 10/10.
Overall, “SCRAPYARD” is slightly disappointing, but good. It’s not as amazing as “IDMTHY” due to its lack of theme and story, but the tracks were still very well composed, with only a few misses. I’m going to give this album an 8.5/10.
