Last year we claimed r/trap’s BOOST TAPE 01 was the pinnacle of trap. A bar set immensely high by impeccable curation and the mix of legends and rising stars involved. With their follow-up BOOST TAPE 02 the expectations couldn’t be much higher, but I can assure you it delivers. 28 tracks of relentless heat from the likes of Acrillics, camoufly, Chee, Chromonicci, Dabow, Deffie, episcool, Giraffage, Great Dane, Ivy Lab, LYNY, Machine Drum, MadBliss x Keeth, Oakk, Rome In Silver, Salva, Slumberjack x Ren Zukii, and somehow more. Once again the Boost Gang brings us some of the best trap, bass and club music that we’re destined to receive this year. From front to back the compilation slaps but we had to highlight a few of our favourites.
Kicking off the project comes Acrillics’ ‘What Do You Want.’ It’s no secret we’ve been longtime fans and supporters and it’s always great to see the duo making big moves. Serving as a perfect introduction, it starts as a slow burner with emotive undertones before unveiling a bass-leaning trap nature. Blending feels with aggressive and powerful energy makes this a can’t miss.
Chromonicci has become renowned for his diversity, from future beat finesse to lofi chill tunes and trap slaps, he can do it all. With ‘Singularity’ he finds a perfect fusion of off-kilter future beats and the chest-pounding energy of raw trap. It’s smooth yet, banging. Experimental but approachable and dare I say… smooth. In short, it’s spectacular.
The stash of unreleased heat that Dabow is sitting on right now is absolutely insane. Any time we get one of his highly sought-after IDs for release we relish it. ‘Poder’ has been a staple in Dabow sets and mixes so it’s great to finally get the proper release. From the bent vocal loops, to ice-cold keys and the blistering brass, this is trap music at its best. People really need to stop sleeping on Dabow’s greatness.
Possibly the biggest surprise on the tape is Giraffage’s’ ‘idgaf.’ Based around the vocal “I don’t give a fuck,” this is a blistering banger here to set speakers ablaze. Booming bass, precise vocals chops, and an almost absurd party vibe make it undeniably infectious. It’s the type of banger you could see getting spun out in trap or bass house sets or serving as the perfect bridge between the genres in a setlist. I didn’t know Giraffage went this hard.
Other mid-to-late tape standouts include Great Dane’s ‘aya hua’ which fuses tribal and spiritual energy with some serious bump, LYNY’s bossed-up anthem ‘Stumble,’ and RamonPang’s beastly ‘Santoor Unkown.’
Last but not least I have to highlight Rome In Silver’s ‘Little Demons.’ I’ve been waiting for this one to drop since I included it as an ID in my Electric Hawk Takover Mix in early 2020. Electric basslines, swooning vocals, crisp claps and a forward-thinking soundscape are expertly intertwined. The drops are funky and inviting while remaining mean. It exemplifies the exceptional balance that Rome In Silver has managed to master.
BOOST TAPE 02 is everything you wanted and more. Stream the full project below and be sure to grab it on Bandcamp.
