Album Mode

Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley
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Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.

  1. 24/12/2025

    Album Mode's Top 10 Albums of 2025

    Finally the episode you've all been waiting for, Album Mode's top 10 albums of 2025! Adriel and Démar list their best albums of the year. After years of reviewing music together the duo divergence has become more obvious and this year's year-end list is evidence. P.S. Demar's Spotify listening age is 25, Adriel's is 45. TIMECODES: 3:30 - A lot of albums that we did not review 4:10 - Don’t Tap The Glass 7:30 - West End Girl 9:48 - Miley Cyrus supremacy 15:55 - Yacht Rap 16:49 - An Ambient Demo but good 21:16 - What genre is this? 24:04 - Demar wants the Naomi Campbell album 29:06 - Chainz revival 38:00 - One of the best albums of the decade 43:10 - Comeback Album of the Year 48:12 - Feels like a racing game 52:25 - The Best of Wale 56:00 - One of the Greatest Rappers of all Time 01:01:39 - The Longest No Skips Album 01:06:05 - Two or Three listens a day for Demar’s Number One 1:11:01 - Honourable Mentions Follow us: YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@AlbumMode TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant Démar’s Top 10: EsDeeKid - RebelThe Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow Little Simz - Lotus PinkPantheres - Fancy That Bad Bunny - Debi Tirar Mas Fotos Clipse - Let God Sort Em Out Amaarae - Black Star OkLou - Choke Enough Miley Cyrus - Something BeautifulTyler, The Creator - Don't Tap the Glass Adriel's Top 10: The Weeknd - Hurry Up TOmorrowLittle Simz - Lotus Clipse Let God Sort Em Out Wale - Etherything is a lot Chance the Rapper - Star Line Destin Conrad - LOVE ON DIGITAL Larry June + Alchemist + 2 Chainz - Life is Beautiful Venna - MALIK Freddie Gibbs - ALFREDO 2 Lily Allen - West End Girl

    1h 19m

  2. 13/12/2025

    Esdeekid and everyone else you should know from 2025 + Spotify Wrapped

    Démar and Adriel discuss who popped off in 2025 that we're looking forward to their work in 2026. Timecodes 1:10 The Criteria 2:20 Esdeekid 6:50 Timothee Chalamet 11:38 Uzi mixed with Future 12:48 Odeal 18:25 Young Miko 20:26 Similar to early Don Toliver 24:36 Kwn 31:23 The Black performative male 32:10 Dijon 40:35 Rebecca Black 45:06 Not New/But Changing 51:48 Spotify Wrapped 54:17 The Dominance of Drake 56:37 Spotify Listening Age 1:00:03 Old year-end playlists =================================== Follow us: TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod  Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram:  Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter:  Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant ===================================

    1h 6m

  3. 26/11/2025

    Summer Walker's "Finally Over It" is a feature fest| REVIEW

    Démar and Adriel discuss Summer Walker third studio album "Finally Over It", whether Aaliyah is the GOAT and the strength of the album's feautres. Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 Adriel's rating: 7 / 10 The Love List: Robbed You, No, Go Girl, Heart Of A Woman, Baller Timecodes: 4:04 - Background on Summer Walker 8:55 - The Singles 9:49 - The influence of Aaliyah 11:50 - What a Summer Walker song sounds like 14:10 - Love for Doja Cat 21:51 - Give Me A Reason 30:13 - So Many Good Features 34:48 - 1-800-Heartbreak 38:58 - Savage the 21st 47:25 - Go Girl 50:20 - The Cover 59:04 - The Score Follow us: TikTok:  Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant  =================================== Summer Walker - Finally Over It / 2025 / R&B

    1h 4m

  4. 16/11/2025

    Rosalia's 'Lux' is technically brilliant, but is that enough? | REVIEW

    Démar and Adriel discuss Rosalía's fourth studio album "LUX", its technical excellence and whether an album that's so orchestral can be considered pop. Follow us: TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant =================================== Démar’s rating: 5 / 10 Adriel's rating: 6 / 10 The Love List: Reliquia, Divinize, Berghain, Memória

    54 min

  5. 03/11/2025

    Dave's "The Boy Who Played the Harp" sometimes forgets the song | REVIEW

    Démar and Adriel discuss Dave's third studio album "The Boy Who Played the Harp", its abscence of drums and Dave's ability to make songs instead of poetry with a soundtrack. Démar’s rating: 6 / 10 Adriel's rating: 7.5 / 10 The Love List: The Boy Who Played the Hard, No Weapons, Selfish Timecodes: 3:00 - Adriel doesn’t like EPs 5:58 - The tone of the album 6:43 - Favourite feature 12:50 - Where are the drums? 16:10 - Demar calls ‘175 Months’ boring 21:04 - Dave vs. Kendrick 23:25 - The Outro 27:10 - Dave’s relatability   30:35 - Introspection is his best skill 34:03 - Fairchild 41:06 - The Cover 43:45 - The Score Follow us: TikTok:  Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant  =================================== Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp/ 2025 / rap, hip hop, uk rap

    49 min

  6. 24/10/2025

    Tame Impala's "Deadbeat" Follows the Crowd | REVIEW

    Démar and Adriel discuss Tame Imala's fifth album "Deadbeat", how Tame Impala became a follower with is production and the decline of a once great artist. Démar’s rating: 5.5 / 10 Adriel's rating: 5.5 / 10 The Love List: Dracula, Loser, Afterthought, My Old Ways Timecodes: 2:44 - Have they ever been mainstream? 3:58 - First time hearing Tame Impala 8:50  - Adriel’s favourite song 11:05 - Demar’s Dad cosigns 14:17 - The Singles 18:32 - Kevin Parker made a Drake song? 20:50 - Afro House attempt 24:30 - Best song on the project 31:30 - Dracula 36:20 - Lyrics 40:50 - Loser 47:40 - The Cover 48:50 - The Score Follow us: TikTok:  Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant  =================================== Tame Impala - Deadbeat / 2025 / electronic, dance, afro house

    53 min

  7. 19/10/2025

    Khalid is revealed "after the sun goes down" | REVIEW

    Démar and Adriel discuss Khalid's fourth studio album "after the sun goes down", his lack of vocal colour and whether his simplistic pop lyrics are a negative. Démar’s rating: 7 / 10 Adriel's rating: 4 / 10 The Love List: medicine, nah, nobody (make me feel), impulsive Timecodes: 2:20 - Technically still very popular 4:18 - Past Khalid Reviews 8:44 - Demar compares ‘True’ to Kidz Bop 9:50 - R&B Khalid 13:20 - ‘Rendezvous’ 16:48 - Reminds me of… 22:44 - Lyrics 28:45 - What this means for his career 34:30 - The Cover 38:00 - The Score Follow us: TikTok:  Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram: Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter: Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant  =================================== Khalid - after the sun goes down / 2025 / pop, R&B

    43 min

  8. 18/10/2025

    Embracing D'Angelo's Influence

    The Father of Neo Soul has passed, Adriel and Demar discuss how important he is, why so many different artists are mourning him and how boundless his influence has become in modern music. Follow us: TikTok: Album Mode: https://www.tiktok.com/@albummodepod  Adriel: https://www.tiktok.com/@adrielsmileydotcom Démar: https://www.tiktok.com/@godkingdemi Instagram:  Album Mode: https://www.instagram.com/albummodepod/ Adriel: https://www.instagram.com/adrielsmileydotcom/ Démar: https://www.instagram.com/demarjgrant/ Twitter:  Album Mode: https://twitter.com/AlbumModepod Adriel: https://twitter.com/AdrielSmiley_ Démar: https://twitter.com/DemarJGrant ===================================

    19 min
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About

Welcome to Album Mode where journalist, Demar Grant and The Cool Table host, Adriel Smiley breakdown and review the latest albums. Each episode features a new album where both hosts dive in-depth about the project and the artist’s path to its release.

Information

  • Creator
    Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    319
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 313470
  • Show Website
    Album Mode

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