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Music

​TroyBoi and Stooki Sound's "Welcome 2 London" is a Warning to the US Trap Scene

Three guys from London are doing trapstyle better than any Americans.

Both TroyBoi and Stooki Sound have been puffing new life into the oft-stagnant trap sound with creative flair fostered by the pluralism of the London bass scene. Whereas much of the hip-hop inspired, stateside dance output is still hammering on the same tired tropes, acts like TroyBoi and Stooki have less intrepid producers looking over their shoulders and over the pond at the same time because they bring a progressive perspective to the bass rave.

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The London-based squad's first collaborative endeavor, titled "Welcome 2 London" and released on Mad Decent, is a big-up to the city that made them and lays down the gauntlet to their stateside peers. In it, a cinematic, but sinister build-up (Think Nero, but from The Ends), gives way to a minimal, deep trap beat sitting beneath a brooding atmosphere that swirls around samples stacked staccato and a detuned vocal that, perhaps sarcastically, welcomes you to London.

"Stooki and I have always talked about collaborating with each other,' says TroyBoi, currently in the midst of a US tour after earning the plaudits of Diplo and DJ Craze with a series of lightning releases. I heard the parts Stooki sent over and, straight away, I wanted to dive in."

"The track had a very dark, London vibe, so I thought our boy Troyboi would be a perfect person to really bring the song to its fullest potential," Stooki explain. "It's rare that we get to showcase our roots."

The fact that it takes acts from all the way over in London to kick up some dust in the stateside bass scene should be a challenge to US producers to up their game, lest we all end up drinking tea at the rave when the British take over.

TroyBoi is on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter
Stooki Sound are on Facebook // SoundCloud // Twitter