Browsing Tag

dark trap

Zak the Tyrant – Zeus: A Debut of Dark Trap

Posted on 22 October 2018

Whilst everyone has kept themselves pretty busy investing in the beef between MGK and Eminem over recent weeks they may have missed the debut drop “Zeus” from Zak the Tyrant. With Rap bars just as relentless as the media-grabbing stars, it’s almost impossible not to imagine Zak ascending the ranks.

There was plenty of progression in the haunting Trap-driven mix. Every switch up in the beat was perfectly matched with Zak’s ability to verse with the ultimate command over meter and rhyme. Yet the more stripped back down-tempo bars allowed the lyrics to Zeus to truly resonate. Lyrically, Zak stayed away with the crass archetypal Hip Hop swag. Instead he laced plenty of sentiment into Zeus which made him a triple threat to other emerging Rap artists with his playfully domineering bars, dark beats and lyrics all locked down.

What more can you expect from an up and coming artist’s first single?

You can check out Zak the Tyrant’s single Zeus for yourself by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dom Vaccarelli’s Just Dropped the Darkest Trap Mix of the Year, Excited?

Posted on 27 June 2018

Conflict is perhaps one of the most grounding Trap mixes I’ve ever heard, with the amount of Trap that’s bouncing around the soundwaves these days, that’s no easy feat. Yet, with his latest single Dom Vaccarelli created a track as resounding as Stan by Eminem, and that’s not something I can say that I hear every day. The poignant lyricism is only part of the depth in Conflict; through Dom’s delivery you can hear the agonised passion that he threw into the mix with this track with his rhythmic bars. It may be relatively short and sweet at only 2:47 minutes long, but God damn, it stays with you. There are so many mic drop moments contained within the track, the brevity of the sentiment contained within the lyrics hits you like a tonne of bricks. Whilst there are no shortage of tracks pointing out the disparity in the modern world, I have to say that no one does it quite as succinctly as Dom Vaccarelli. The beat has a tentative, deep flow thanks to the resonance of the keys around the trickling and snare of the 808 beats.

You can check out Dom Vaccarelli’s latest single from his album ‘Dark Matter’ on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LeX – THROUGH. THE. ROUGH.: Lyrically Inspired, Aurally on Fire Dark Trap

Posted on 20 June 2018

LeX teamed up with fellow Rap sensation Mugen! The Human and producer 4k to create a delightfully genius orchestration of gritty alternative Hip Hop. Finding a pioneering sound in Rap has been like finding a needle in a haystack this year, it’s safe to say I was stoked to hear Lex has mixed it up with his angstily fresh new hit ‘THROUGH. THE. ROUGH’. The lyrics to the track flow like poetry, just quite angry poetry which in my not so humble opinion is the best kind. The tempo may only be in the mid-range, but the momentum of THROUGH. THE. ROOF. Is absolutely hyped thanks to LeX ad Mugen dropping some of the slickest, feverish bars that I’ve heard this year. Lex refrained from using the typical Trap beats that you’re all sick of hearing by incorporating a creeping haunted effect over the 808 mix. The snares and trickles are still audible, but the resonant effect allows the Rap bars to hit you even harder. I feel bruised.

If you like your Trap dark, or just want to ingest some fresh new Hip Hop beats; you can check out LeX’s latest track THROUGH. THE. ROUGH. Ft. Mugen! the Human on SoundCloud now

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jack Hodges Releases Alternative Pop Track “Strange Feelings”

Posted on 18 October 2017

“Strange Feelings” is a new and exciting single release from singer and songwriter Jack Hodges. The song immediately stands out for its lush, driven and direct textures. The snare sound in particular, is absolutely massive, as if it was echoing from deep down the bottom of a cave. I love the dark, haunting vibes of this track and Jack does a really great job at keeping up with the melodies and textures of this track with his laid-back and on-point vocal performance.

On this track, Jack reminds me of talented artists such as Frank Ocean or D’Angelo, combining unique textures with some stunning sonic ideas. The production value of this single is definitely worth mentioning. The track is absolutely world-class and the mix is balanced and masterfully executed.