Alex Macpherson of Fact called the mixtape "a murky, often demanding and mostly enthralling listen full of lyrical and sonic twists that wears its radical nature lightly."[2] He added, "Ultimately, Dark York feels like a gauntlet thrown down to the straight hip-hop world, not an inward-looking one-off."[2] Hard Ashurst of Pitchfork praised the mixtape's music and stated that "Le1f matches the forward-thinking production punch for punch, coming across as a compelling and provocative rapper at every turn."[3] Duncan Cooper of The Fader described the mixtape as "one of the most provocative rap releases so far this year, a major work that constantly and subversively carves a distinct space for itself without stepping outside of the feel of popular hip-hop."[5]
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