1.
Running around EDM circles over this past Summer, you couldn’t find a mix, club, DJ or raver that wasn’t rocking to “Trap” music at some point. The craze finds producers from the dubstep/EDM side of things re-purposing the 808 beats made popular by Waka Flocka, T.I., Rick Ross, and other Southern rappers and putting an EDM spin on them. Whether you call it post-Trap (cringe), Trapstep (eh), Trap Rave (no) or just plain TRAP, the sound isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – hell, the Certified Trap documentary is already exposing the likes of Trap-A-Holics, Drumma Boy, Mike WiLL Made It and other notable Rap figures to the sound.
With so many names, producers and mixes out there pouncing on this phenomenon at a rapid pace, it makes sense to get a rough idea of the best of the bunch… so far. Pour up something potent and take a walk with us…
By Khal
Hit “next” or click the pictures to read on…
2.
Major Lazer – “Original Don (Flosstradamus Remix)”
Makes sense to start this one out with one of the oldest Trap tracks on our list, right? Flosstradamus is a duo hailing out of Chicago, and they’re affiliated with both Fool’s Gold and Mad Decent. This remix of “Original Don” is the tune that was used in the aforementioned Certified Trap documentary to help introduce Rap producers to the Trap sound, and is possibly the best example of the hybrid that’s created when the Dirty South Trap style of production is meshed with EDM sensibilities. Pure rave build-ups and breakdowns, skittering 808s, and a heaping helping of bass.
3.
Sleigh Bells – “Demons (Diplo Remix)”
Speaking of Diplo, his Trapped-out rendition of “Demons” has gotten a lot of burn over the summer. He takes things a bit deeper, using the original’s vocals and guitar stabs to perfection atop this bevy of blips, bloops, and bass. This is one of those tracks that’s guaranteed to get a big reaction when dropped on the right crowd.
4.
Baauer – “Harlem Shake”
Baauer’s a name that has taken the EDM scene by storm, and this tune is his warning shot. Diplo got his “Diplo & Friends” show on BBC Radio 1 earlier this year, and you couldn’t escape this track, as week-in and week-out, DJs would have no choice but to drop it. Funky bounce, infectious melody, lion roars… this track has it all.
5.
ƱZ – “ŤɌ∆Ҏ ᶊῌῗ† √9”
If there’s anyone who put a proverbial face on the EDM Trap scene, it’d have to be ƱZ. Oddly enough, he’s pretty much a mystery. Most heads don’t know where he comes from, but his sound is undeniable. His SoundCloud page rose to prominence over the last couple of months, mainly for his “Trap Shit” tracks; the first five garnered 10’s of thousands of hits each, with his ŤɌ∆Ҏ ᶊῌῗ† √6/9 EP getting released on Mad Decent’s The Jeffrees imprint. More volumes are sure to be out, but the question is: Where will the producer with all the funky characters take this sound?
TNGHT – “Higher Ground”
When word that Lunice and Hudson Mohawke linked up to create TNGHT, heads were instantly on board – for good reason. They’re certified on their own, with their solo work and tracks done for different artists. Combining their forces into the TNGHT EP, though? Instant Trap madness – but with a different twist. They’re pushing Trap where it should go: inserting their own influences and really forcing heads to really look at the sound as more than just “some ol’ Rap instrumentals”. This one, with the hypnotic vocal sample and commanding horns? One of the bigger tunes on the project, bar none.
6.
Craze & Codes – “Trapped In Sydney”
Good ol’ Craze; since smashing the turntablist competition over a decade ago, he’s been on a journey, finding new sounds and immersing himself in them. He’s from Miami, so the Bass sound is nothing new to him, and there’s something hypnotic about the horns used on this big-body beat. This is also one of those tunes that, as it grows, really morphs and mutates – the way they play around with the main sounds, switching up their delivery, is perfect. Great journey.
7.
ETC!ETC! & Brillz & Diplo ft. Whiskey Pete – “Bueller”
This track was originally billed solely as an ETC!ETC! & Brillz thing, but the recent free release added Diplo, a slick Whiskey Pete vocal and a version with Chuck Inglish on the mic. Jacking the theme from the very end of Feris Bueller’s Day Off, ETC!ETC! and Brillz totally melt it down and mold it into a new form. The classic Rave breakdown is perfect in this one, can be used as the perfect transition tune or just a sly nod to ’80s nostalgia.
8.
Heroes x Villains – “Original Choppaz”
To many, HxV is one of the torchbearers of the scene. He has been screaming Trap for a while, and has the pedigree to do so, being an engineer for Grand Hustle and firmly planting his stakes in the ATL Bass Music scene for years now. “Original Choppaz” blends the muck and the merk, expertly inserting that “choppaz” sample and cutting things in and out quickly. The background in DJing/producing tracks outside of Hip-Hop/Dubstep also lends a great ear to how this one works on the floor. Taken from the Run The Trap EP via ClubTapes, which is dropping September 7th.
9.
Pharoahe Monch – “Simon Says (Brillz & ETC!ETC! Trap Bootleg)”
We’ve already broken this tune down, but it’s hard to not include this huge Trap banger on this list. One of the best things about Raves and EDM is appropriating known sounds and tracks into whatever style you’re crafting, and Brillz & ETC!ETC! recreated a classic effectively for the 2012 EDM massive. Making the huge enormous is the name of this particular game.
10.
Flosstradamus – Rollup (Baauer Remix)
Baauer’s remix of “Rollup” was featured on the Fool’s Gold Clubhouse Vol. 2 compilation, and the thunderous bass is enough to make this top any list. Watch this one drop at any venue, and you’ll see the crowd go bananas for it. It’s almost unfair – there’s huge bass, and then there’s what Baauer did to this one. Plus, if you partake in the herb, this might be your Trap anthem.
