At the start of last year, I started to delve deeply into the world of trap music, a genre I hadn’t come across much before. The genre shows no signs of slowing down, being more popular than ever in 2023! As such, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to revisit the style, in the form of the second iteration of the Trapped series.
Review by Jane Howkins
Photo by Diamond Blacc
Diamond Blacc – DEMONS
Starting this list off in style is Diamond Blacc with his banging new tune, Demons. It’s a little different from a lot of other trap songs, as the tempo is rather fast. It sounds excellent throughout though, seeing Diamond matching his flow perfectly with the music itself. His vocals are smooth, despite the fast pace, adding a degree of versatility to the piece. The synths in the background swirl around madly, adding to the atmosphere of the piece. This is certainly a trap song with a difference!
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Will Lisil – Perdeu Mané
Perdeu Mané is a little different to what you might expect from the trap genre, having an EDM bent to it as well. The track builds up at the start, seeing Will Lisil spitting the lyrics out with passion over the keyboards and synths. The basslines and programmed strings sound really intense, helping to create a suitable eerie atmosphere within the piece. It’s the music that really stands out here, having an impressively anthemic sound at times.
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Kite – MY GOAT
MY GOAT has more of a typical trap sound than the previous song, also adding in some moments of mumble rap. It’s a track that shows Kite to be a rapper at the very top of his game, changing between singing and rapping at different points over the course of the music. The beat is infectious – particularly with the way the hi-hats are used. The drums break off briefly towards the end of the track, allowing the eerie piano melody to interact with the vocals in perfect timing.
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Proklaim – Priceless
Next up is Proklaim with the amazing tune Priceless. The track actually combines a few hip-hop sub-genres into one, so it’s a great song for those into the genre as a whole. The verses are largely rapped, with some singing occurring on the intro and verses, adding a nice melodic flavour to the tune. The bass seeps through in the background, aligning well with the fast percussive beat to create a lovely backbone to the piece. It slows down slightly on the chorus, allowing you to enjoy the sultry singing style.
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Kervo Frank – Batman
Batman sounds epic from the off, opening with some programmed electronic vocals, alongside a trickling piano melody. It’s all very bombastic, preparing the listener for what’s to come. Kervo Frank has an amazing flow to his lyrics, running at a very fast pace, sounding very impressive throughout! The backing music has quite an eerie feel, featuring some unsettling background instrumentation that works exceedingly well within the trap genre.
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Ali Sahir – No Guidance
No Guidance is a little different from a lot of the other tracks on this list, as it has an Eastern quality – the main melody that opens the track up sounds immense, running throughout the rest of the song. A female rapper joins the track on some of the verses, alongside Ali Sahir’s lead vocals, adding a great deal of variety to this tune. The bass and drums mix well with the Eastern music in the background, making for a track with an infectious rhythm. This is one of my favourite songs on the list!
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Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L – Big Monster
The first thing that struck me about Big Monster was how immense the synths sound. It’s quite rare to hear music from this genre with such a big synth backdrop, and they really sound massive here! Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L’s vocals meld well with the mumble rap style of trap, but they also have an incredibly smooth sound, drawing the listener in immediately! I’m normally not a big fan of autotune, but it’s used really well here, adding a great deal of tonality to the track.
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Matt Makk – Double Take
Double Take sounds quite minimalist when it first opens up, featuring a slew of interesting synths and background sounds. The beat and vocals soon appear, with the latter having a typical mumble rap sound. Matt Makk uses an array of interesting beats and sounds here to create something that sounds really unique. The synths add quite a positive vibe to the song, until it breaks down towards the end. The music drops off until all that’s left is a dark bassline, before picking up slightly again.
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Dorian – Blast Off
If you also like your r&b music, Blast Off is the perfect song for you! The music does have something of a trap/hip-hop vibe at times, but it also lends itself well to the modern pop and r&b movements. Dorian has a stunning voice with an amazing range – this track really helps to showcase his vocals off to the world! It’s also incredibly catchy, seeing the beats and backing vocals align themselves well with Dorian’s voice to make something that will get stuck in your head straight away!
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Mary in the Mirror – Fire Lighter
The trap genre seems to be sorely lacking in female artists, so it’s my pleasure to introduce Mary in the Mirror to the world. Full of urban, grime-esque beats and eerie backing sounds is her latest release Fire Lighter. Her vocals are sung instead of rapped, adding a distinctive edge to the track. The vocals sound like something you might expect more in a singer-songwriter track, but they work really well to create a unique soundscape within the music, making it a must listen!
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V of 40M – PWR
The interestingly titled V of 40M has released an absolute trap banger in the form of PWR. Also taking influence from traditional hip-hop and drill music, the track cultivates a haunting echo as it progresses, raising the tension up over the course of the tune. Multiple voices are added in the background alongside the lead vocals, keeping the listener constantly on their toes. The main melody is performed via the use of a synth effect, weaving its way through the music in a delightful way.
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L.O.V.E Culture – Playas Ball
L.O.V.E Culture are a musical collective based in Florida, with Playas Ball being one of their latest tracks to be released. It starts out with a military-style beat and some old school soul sounds, before the music kicks in proper. The rapping has a great flow, with little backing vocals added occasionally to accentuate the lead rapping. The different rapping styles help to add variety to the song, showing just how talented the Jacksonville-based group truly are!
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Love Ghost – Ghost Town
Ghost Town is one of the most divergent tracks on this list, as it would also fit in well with the rock and pop-punk genres, seeing Love Ghost really going to town on the emo rap genre. Sinister little guitar melodies mix with a set of chugging riffs in the background, adding a great rhythm to the piece. The vocals slip between rapping and singing, even going into Spanish at times, showing an act with a great deal of variety! This track simply demands to be heard!
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