Top 10 Trap Tracks for 2013.

In no particular order:

Alex Metric & Jacques Lu Cont - Safe With You (Keys N Krates Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xJIfY514d0

The drop in this song is probably my favorite drop of the year. First, you hear the vocals slowly building up in the back, then the drop happens and it's all chopped up: "oh-ah-ah-oh-oh" BASS "oh-ah-ah-oh-oh" BASS, repeat.  I love it.  I love nothing more than vocals being used in such a manner, so this easily makes my list.
---------------------------
Kid Kamillion - Blood Rave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HvZ7lvRhLY

This remix takes a classic (New Order - Confusion, aka "Blood Rave") and puts a trap twist on it, and does it in a not-disgusting manner.  The song teases you with the original song, the drop builds up as per usual, then the floor comes out from under you and suddenly you're head bobbing to something new yet familiar. Good times.  It doesn't have lasting potential, unfortunately, but this one trick pony is a good trap pony.
---------------------------
L D R U -The Tropics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPlq6C_Wtr4

I love this track.  It's such a unique take on trap that I can't really describe it, but that bass is deep, and the drop is long.  Just how I like it.  If you don't like it within the 90 seconds, then you won't like the song because that's the entire thing, just extended over almost 5 minutes.  I had this on repeat for an entire day, over several days.
---------------------------
Koreless - MTI (TWRK Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqGesfOIsOU

A softer trap track, but it does that thing with the vocals that I love oh so much.
---------------------------
Lorde - Royals (CAKED UP Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI8ClGjtpYU

Probably my guilty pleasure of the year.  It's so dumb and that's why it's so good.  They literally use the "ka-ching!" sound effect, on top of police sirens, tires screeching, and other stupid things.
---------------------------
AlunaGeorge - Attracting Flies (Baauer Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOxWgAgC5JQ

Remember Baauer?  Harlem Shake?  Turns out, he's a really good trap artist that unfortunately got overshadowed by his insanely popular "Harlem Shake."  The drop isn't what's delicious in this song, it's the flute after the drop.  Right around the 1:30 mark, the bass continues, but the music changes to emphasize the focus on the magnificent flutes.
---------------------------
Keys N Krates "Treat Me Right"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H30xsk2Aafg

The official video for this is a shortened version of the song and the latter half is really good so if you like this then please check out the full length version.  On top of having an amazing video giving an homage to al the cheesy romance novels ever created, this song is fast and hard.  It immediately starts out with the build and soon after the 30 second mark, the bass drops and seldom lets up.  The vocals are chopped, the hands are clapping, and the bass is hitting.  Lovely.
---------------------------
What So Not - High You Are (Branchez Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2m_WnXjqnM

The thing this song does with that noise, I don't have the proper vocabulary to describe, but I know I like it and I know that's the main appeal for this song.  It's a bit on the softer side, yet still maintains an overall beat that's pretty well paced without bogging down.  The occasional "yeah." is great too.
---------------------------
SaneBeats - We Go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikHbS2VYgEU

A simple song and the reason this song makes the list is because of that rolling bass.  JUST LISTEN TO THE BASS.  It rolls and rotates and spins and does such an amazing thing that that sole factor makes this song get on this list.
---------------------------
Hucci X GameFace - The Leaves Are Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5_N9nauths

California Dreaming, the trap version.  Have at it.
---------------------------

And there it is, a list of my top 10 trap tracks for the year.  Some might not have came out this year, but whatever, I'm just here to spread the trap love.  As I once told my co-worker, "Trap is something you don't like at first, then you get more and more of it, and the next thing you know, you can't have enough trap in your life and all you want is trap."

The Blow - True Affection

"Girl shake that laffy taffy"
Kidding
"True affection floats.
True affection sinks, like a stone.
I never felt so close.
I never felt so all alone."

I initially liked this song because of the bass line.  Eerily like D4L's "Laffy Taffy", "True Affection" bass line is a simple and memorable tune that is easy to remember and hard to forget.  The more I listened to the song though, the more I heard the lyrics and I slowly began realizing the significance of it all.

Give the song a go.

The main message I got from it is that true affection is a big effing mess that's full of contradictions, hardships, and  doubts.  Real love isn't story book perfect (hell, what is?).  Instead, it is a thing where two people share plenty of bad and good experiences together and all that matters is that they're willing to share more of it with their significant other.

Best line: "Just because it's real don't mean it's gonna work."

Cults - Never Saw the Point

Cults.  I'm sure you've heard of them before because they've been making a pretty big splash in the indie scene for the past year or so.

This particular song of theirs is my absolute favorite because I believe it's their most catchy track and the lyrics also appeal to me as well.

It's easy to tell how catchy the song is because it starts immediately with the xylophone (or glockenspiel?) playing the iconic tune of the song.  It also helps that the singer (Madeline Follin) has a childlike voice that goes well with the xylophone (or glockenspiel?) in creating an atmosphere of...almost innocence.  Add on that sweet ass bassline (listen to it, it's fantastic!), easy going drums and guitar and you've got yourself a helluva song.

At the first listen, this song seems to be fairly carefree in nature but after the lyrics are looked at, it has actual meaning.

"I never saw the point in trying,
'cause I would only let you down.
And I just couldn't take you down there with me,
I just can't stand to see you drown.

I never saw the point in crying,
'cause I can't be the way you want.
And I don't wanna lay around here waiting,
waiting for you to change your mind."

At least, I give it meaning by using it as my excuse.  I never saw the point in trying, 'cause I would only let you down.  And I just couldn't take you down there with me, I just can't stand to see you drown.

Meek Mill - Amen

95% of the reason I listen to this song is because of the piano, straight up.

The only real lyric that sticks out for me in the song is when he says "Church!"

I'm a sucker for catchy tunes on any kind of level or instrument.  A few short notes on the piano is good enough for me to keep hitting play on this song over and over.

As for the song itself, honestly, I have no idea what the lyrics are.  Drake is on there talking about something.

I apologize.  I can't speak much about this song because I don't care for it too much.

Just that damn good piano...

Chairlift - Bruises

 


(I think I can write about one song on a semi-daily basis.  I'll try.)

"I tried to do handstands for you,
but every time I fell for you."

That single line, regardless of context, is the primary reason I have this song on repeat at the moment.  Sure, it starts out with a very simplistic drum machine beat and a real catchy bass line, but what makes the song great is Chairlift's singer's (Caroline Polachek) beautiful voice.  It truly is beautiful, divine, and heavenly.  The bass line got me in the door, but Caroline's voice and lyrics are what kept me in.

Back to that particular line though, it's interesting because it's actually a variation of the first line:

"I tried to do handstands for you,
I tried to do handstands for you,
every time I fell on you, yeah,
every time I fell."

Which sounds fairly literal and can even be taken at such a level and it wouldn't really diminish the impact of the lyrics.  How I understand it, though, is...whatever.  It's 4am and I'm too tired for this shit.

This song is good, catchy, and (for me) has real meaning.

Trying for somebody will occasionally result in you accidentally hurting them, but in the end it will only bring you closer to that person and regardless of the bruises and stains you've obtained during the process, it'll be worth it.  Or something like that.

The only song that can make my eyes water.

What's funny is that even though I've known of this song since I was a sophomore in high school (so over 8 years, damn), I have not once thought to look up the music video for it.

I'm a little disappointed in the video, honestly, because I have listened to this song so many times that I sorta crafted my own version in my head.

Anyways, this song is one of my favorite songs of all time simply because of how beautiful it is. The song is able to capture a number of emotions just through the instrumentation alone.

Let's just start at the beginning.

"When there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire."

Cue the wonderful violin and horn backed by piano and guitar. Then that cello, that mother fucking fantastic god damn cello. Initially, the vibe has a very..sad and tragic sound but once the cello kicks in, the song's tone is lifted quite a bit. Plus, harmonica.

I was gonna write all about the first verse and how they match up with the music so god damn well, but who cares. The best part is at the end of the girl's verse when she sings:

"I'll write you a postcard, I'll send you the news, from the house down the road, from real love."

All the instruments abruptly stop giving way to the sadder sounding instruments and the best piece of advice given in the song: "Live through this and you won't look back." It is this part that brings me to the verge of tears more often than not. That 50's style music backed by such harsh yet true words is just...it's just beautiful/wonderful/amazing. It really shows how much she/he wants to forget about him/her.

"There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave. You were what I wanted, I gave what I gave.
I'm not sorry I met you.

I'm not sorry it's over.

I'm not sorry there's nothing to save.

I'm not sorry there's nothing to save."

Then all the instruments crescendos to an epic ending that finally releases to the same way the song began: with that wonderful combination of instruments.

Do you like your songs mashed?

Kids & Explosions - Girls

I believe that feelings towards songs like these are extremes: people will either really like it or really hate it. I've hardly come by anybody who is impartial to this genre of music. On one end, people view music like this as something that is not really music because there is nothing original there. On the other, it can be argued that these artists are merely using a different kind of set of tools and instruments to create something original.

Regardless, this particular artist (Kids & Explosions) does some very different things with mashing up songs. Not only does he combine various (and sometimes very opposing) songs together in order to create a new "song", he also carefully chops, minces, dices, and rearranges the vocals. The product is....unique. Everything seems normal, yet so foreign. "Girls" actually isn't the best example of how he cuts up vocals like a damn surgeon, but it is my favorite because of how emotional it feels.

It's hard for me to explain why, but this song makes me just feel...feelings. Yeah, I know, "great description there, Long. Truly showing off the great many skills you've picked up from the various English classes you've taken over the years, fantastic." Just please, give it a listen and see if it invokes anything.

If this type of music isn't to your liking to begin with, then I highly doubt this post will convince you.

If you were already interested in the novelty of mash ups, then I hope that you've added another artist to your mix.

(Here's a better song that exemplifies his ridiculously precise cutting and rearrange of words until they're nonsensical.)