trap music – The Concordian

Travis Scott – Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight (Grand Hustle Records, 2016)

Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight is Houston rapper Travis Scott’s second full-length studio album, and an incredible follow-up to his 2015 album Rodeo. On this new LP, Scott teams up with famed producer Mike Dean to create some of the best and catchiest songs trap rap has to offer. Each beat is moody and layered—creating a vibe that could be perfectly suited for a party or a late-night drive. The tracklist progresses like a story, allowing Scott to open up and get personal with the listener. One shortcoming of the record, however, is that many of the songs blend together and start to sound the same. This, mixed with a lack of lyrical substance, keeps this album from reaching its full potential. Despite these slight hiccups, Scott’s latest LP is a masterclass in rap instrumentals and one of his best projects to date.

Trial Song: Pick Up The Phone (ft. Young Thug and Quavo)

Score: 8.5/10

PartyNextDoor – PartyNextDoor 3 (OVO Sounds/Warner Bros, 2016)

PartyNextDoor 3 combines mellow trap music with a dance hall, reggae vibe. If you like The Weeknd, Drake or Tory Lanez, you’ll like this album. His song “Not Nice” will get stuck in your head after just the first listen. It’s a soft dancehall jam that will instantly make you slow whine to the rhythm—an excellent choice for a house party. “Only You” is a romantic reggae tune that is very easy to like. Then he jumps into deeper trap music with a heavy bass lines with “Don’t Know How” and “Problems & Selfless.” Party Next Door’s trap music has soft, slow rhythms—mixed with his dreamy voice, it’s the type of music you’ll listen to when you just want to chill out or when you’re late night driving after a long work shift. His hit from the album is “Come and See Me” featuring Drake. It has a flowy R&B feel, tells a story, and will surely get stuck in your head for weeks. His songs are guaranteed to relax you.

Trial Track: “Come and See Me”

7.5/10