Browsing Tag

Trap Pop

Ant White will take you on a first-class trip with their standout single ‘Trappetite’

Posted on 2 March 2021

Philadelphia-hailing trap artist, Ant White, stormed 2020 with their debut mixtape, RAZR, judging by the success of the release, he’ll keep riding high right through 2021 and beyond.

The lead title, Trappetite, is the perfect introduction to Ant White’s versatile introspection and wit-deep lyricism. With AyoD on production, the soundscape boats a stylishly cathartic feel which contrasts the grounding grit in the lyrics. Mirrors are held up to today’s society while Ant White lyrically guides you into resilience, with that in mind, we shouldn’t need to tell you to get him on your radar.

You can check out the official video to Trappetite which dropped on November 6th  via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JJ Enigma brought in a new era of pop punk with latest single ‘Happy Never After’

Posted on 1 March 2021

JJ Enigma may have only made their debut in 2020, but they’re already bringing in the new era of pop punk. Their latest release, Happy Never After is a euphorically bitey earworm, if any new track is strong enough to pull you from your lockdown apathy, it’s Happy Never After.

The optimistic-in-spite-of-nihilism track kicks off with crunchy riffs before the guitars adopt sonic soaring textures and bring you into the adrenalizing bridge which teases the anthemic power of the chorus.

With the same hooky infectious appeal as the chorus in Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ along with the raucous punch of contemporary pop punk, it’s only a matter of time before JJ Enigma rises up from the underground.

Happy Never After is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hook-Filled Bars Grind Against Reverb-Softened Beats in Sammi Sosa’s latest single ‘Reckless’

Posted on 3 February 2021
Sammi Sosa

Floridian Hip Hop artist, Sammi Sosa, started to find his feet in the underground in 2020, in 2021. His unique melodic approach to rap is set to take him to new heights. His latest single ‘Reckless’ featuring Forever will have plenty to do with his ascention.

With an ambient electronica prelude, you’ll instantly be drawn into the atmospherically-layered mix which drips with serenity; there’s an arrestive contrast between the sedative reverb-softened beats and Sammi Sosa’s grinding hook-filled bars. Plenty of new artists fall in the trap of assimilating popular Rap artists. Not Sammi Sosa. His fearlessness when it came to using his natural charisma allowed his authentic talent to shine through in Reckless. We’re already stoked to hear what urban earworms are in the pipeline.

Reckless was officially released on January 13th, you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Stay up to date with new releases from Sammi Sosa via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MATEI is set to release their atmospherically ensnaring alt-trap pop single ‘Omen’

Posted on 28 January 2021
MATEI

London-based singer-songwriter, MATEI’s nuanced approach to RnB Pop allows you to find strong emotion within gentle progressions, sensual vocals and poetic imagery-conjuring lyrics. Their deeply self-aware sound  ascended to new heights with the release of their single ‘Omen’.

Dig deep in the atmospheric electronic pop track and you’ll pull up raw unabashed vulnerability and discover the eccentricity within MATEI’s sound which blends elements of commercial pop with a touch of new wave trap to ensure that Omen runs through with a contemporary feel. In spite of the authenticity of Omen, there was perceptibly no compromise when it came to the commercial potential of the single. It’s a radio-ready hit which the BBC should be considering for their A-lists.

Omen is due for release on February 1st, 2021. You’ll be able to check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud. Follow MATEI on Facebook to stay up to date with new releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

TeawhYB – All Gas No Breaks: Intellectually Inspirational High Vibe Alt Pop

Posted on 27 January 2021
TeawhYB

If you’re always on the lookout for intellectually inspirational artists with the ability to cook-up high-vibe perennial pop earworms, you’ll strike gold when you hit play on the latest single ‘All Gas No Breaks’ from LA artist TeawhYB.

With their indulgent blend of Pop, Old School Hip Hop, R n B and New Wave Trap, All Gas No Breaks grooves with danceable sun-soaked melodicism while TeawhYB lays down their lyrics which act as a call to action for all entrepreneurs and creatives to keep their foot on the pedal.

TeawhYB proves that self-awareness holds just as much importance in music as infectious hooks and vocals which speak directly to the soul by making statements such as “We, as in the world, can’t continue entirely the same way it has before the pandemic. We went through it together, like a relationship gone bad. We’re going to make it out but we’ll have transformed into something we weren’t before.” Putting him on your playlists is practically an act of self-care.

You can check out TeawhYB’s tracks by heading over to their SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ideaad6 – Renaissance: Meet Your New Alt RnB Pop Earworm

Posted on 18 January 2021
Ideaad6

Ideaad6 broke into the Pop scene in 2019, as 2020 drew to a close, he dropped his experimentally conceptual album, 35MM, which gives a panoramic view of his all-encompassing approach to production.

The standout track, Renaissance, is the perfect introduction to Ideaad6’s raw, compelling and intimate sound. With classical strings weaving ethereal atmosphere in the trappy electronic track which pulls in gritty nuances of Alt Rock and RnB, Renaissance may be a genre-defying track, but the accessibility was never compromised in the entrancing hook-laden hit.

Describing a track as hard-hitting and soulfully hypnotic should be a paradox, Ideaad6’s alchemic approach makes it a transfixing upraising reality.

Ideaad6’s album 35mm is now available to stream via their official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jaxn Faw wants us all to get ‘Next To Me’ with this perfect slice of RnB-tinged indie pop

Posted on 23 December 2020

Clocking up almost a quarter of a million streams and landing on some of Spotify’s biggest playlists in your first year producing your own music is the sort of impact new artists dream of when starting out, but South Australia’s Jaxn Faw has pretty much taken those numbers and run with them. With his first independently written and produced single, ‘Block Your Number’, being name-checked on New Music Friday across Australia and New Zealand, he’s now back with new track ‘Next To Me’.

A delicious slice of slightly chilled out indie-pop, ‘Next To Me’ is a catchy little love story set to a mildly electronic backbeat and nicely bouncy synth chords, all backing Jaxn Faw’s classy upfront vocal delivery, part pop, part hip-hop flow. It’s got some R&B soul in there, alongside the catchy pop sensibilities and charming little end chorus, a touch of old school Boyz II Men or Keith Sweat sitting comfortably alongside the more obvious Ed Sheeran, James Arthur, or Lewis Capaldi references. Put simply, ‘Next To Me’ is a great little radio-friendly indie-pop song, and on the basis of this Jaxn Faw is destined to go on to greater and greater things in 2021.

Listen to ‘Next To Me’ on Spotify; check out Jaxn Faw on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

 

Joolz Jones is set to drop his entrancingly unpredictable genre-mashing hit ‘Lovesick’

Posted on 6 December 2020
Joolz Jones

Irish artist Joolz Jones is set to drop their most cutting single yet. ‘Lovesick’ merges a myriad of genres, from Big Beat to Blues to Pop to Hip Hop but it is the emotional dynamism which hits the hardest. Lovesick was penned and recording during lockdown as an aural ode to the epiphany which happened to many of us simultaneously. During our isolated months, we had the perfect opportunity to find perspective and realise what truly matters in life, Lovesick poignantly captures the torrid emotions which can manifest when we’re transfixed by desire which is fresh from its inception.

The evocative weight of the single is only matched by the intensity of the bass which creates a solid structure for Joolz Jones to experiment within. By mixing acoustic instruments with electronic effect, the instrumentals run through with no reminiscence to any artist, preceding or current.

Undoubtedly, Lovesick is one of the most entrancingly unpredictable tracks we’ve heard this year. There isn’t a chance this release will fall flat. You’ll get to hear the track for yourselves from December 10th.

You can keep up to date with news of the release via the artist’s Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mikey entwines Trap with Blues in their standout single ‘Sacrifices’

Posted on 18 November 2020

Indie Hip Hop artist Mikey dropped their soul-searching single “Sacrifices” earlier this year. With plenty of humbling and inspiring Hip Hop in the pipeline, there has never been a better time to jump on their sound.

With the repetition of the question “why me?” Mikey hammers home the injustice in the disparity of fairness. But within the verses of the cutting Indie Hip Hop single you’ll find positivity which allows the listener to realise that despite how unfair the hand you’ve been dealt or what struggles are put in front of you, you have the power to overcome them.

With old school bluesy tantalising guitar tones finding synergy with the concise Trap beats, the instrumentals offer plenty of depth, but that aural alchemy is nothing in comparison to the powerful lyricism which is forceful enough to seismically shift your mindset.

You can check out the official video to Sacrifices by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Christian Vels has made their Electro-Pop debut with ‘Summer Love’ (Feat. Alix)

Posted on 16 November 2020

Christian Vels’ debut track ‘Summer Love’ is aptly titled – a perfect summery electro-pop Balearic dance number, all speeding beats and guest vocalist Alix’s beautiful airy, high-register vocal line. Think David Guetta, Martin Solveig, or Avicii-style 126-BPM Ibiza pop, all gated snare and sequenced hook-line, held together by Alix’s ‘I’m only gonna break your heart’ chorus.

‘Summer Love’ is Vancouver-based musician/producer Vels’ first single release, after spending some time honing and tightening his engineering and production skills. On the basis of ‘Summer Love’, that time was very, very well-spent.Summer

Hear ‘Summer Love’ on Spotify; check out Christian Vels on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes