“Christmas Trap?” you ask, your mind turning to such classics as "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Mariah Carey, and "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey (the only good Christmas songs are by Mariah Carey). "Why," you cry, "Would I need more than the original classics that arise sometime in late November, signalling the start of the holidays?!"
Perhaps you don’t, but listen to me: Christmas trap music exists, and it’s needed in your life. For this reason, I'll be listing 7 highlights of the 'genre'.
1. "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" - Prophet
The original "Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee is a good song on its own without a doubt: Lee’s unique vocals, the twang of the guitar in the background and the carolers providing a wonderful tone to really bring it all together...
BUT THEN YOU ADD A TRAP BEAT BEHIND IT:
It fits perfectly. Prophet doesn’t modify the song significantly, just adds some snares and drums behind the song, but oh my goodness does it work.
2. "Sleigh Bells" - PhatCap!
Maybe you want something with a bit more of a beat (if you hadn’t already realized, I don’t know how to describe music very well), so why not try PhatCap!’s remix of The Ronette’s "Sleigh Ride"? The song starts like the original we all know, but then...
What I really love about this one is that it maintains the vibe of the original song, but adds an extra edge to it with the rhythm provided by the drum track behind it. Honestly, I've been listening to this one way more than the original.
3. "Carol Of The Bells" - Nate Maelz & StickyBeats
Some remixes still have the Wintery vibe to them, but sound a little darker and are less uplifting, like this chilling remix by Nate Maelz & StickyBeats of "Carol Of The Bells" by John Williams.
The original song is haunting anyway, especially when we think of the scene from "Home Alone", but the remix preserves this all the while making it more upbeat.
4. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" - Onderkoffer
Others like to blend a few songs into one track, such as this one by Onderkoffer. This one has a faster beat, a lot more synth in it, and isn’t necessarily going to get you into the Christmas spirit like the others will, but it’s still utilized its original material well.
5. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" - Tune Collective
Some start real with that festival Christmas vibe to it... but then the real music emerges. Tune Collective’s trap remix of ‘"Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" does this, starting with cutesy child vocals that make you wonder if you're listening to a Kidz Bop edition of the song, but this fades out as the remix appears. By the end of the song, it’s lost its holiday vibe, but it’s still a good listen:
6. "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" - Tune Collective
I’m personally more into trap remixes that retain a lot of the original song but have the familiar trap pattern behind it, like another one of Tune Collective’s works listed here. Gene Autry’s original song is very calm and has a slow tempo, but this edition manages to maintain this all the while giving it more energy.
7. "Merry Christmas" - Aliev Beatz
I’ll end on a track that features a combination of nostalgic, festive, yet dark tones by Aliev Beatz. It starts with the familiar music from "Home Alone", giving it a bit of percussion before the synth fades in, both taking over for a period before the original song appears again:
Hopefully I’ve already convinced you that Christmas trap music is a much required addition to your holiday festivities, but if not, explore SoundCloud and YouTube for much more on offer by an array of different artists, and even different genres that remix these classic songs.
MERRY LITMAS, Y’ALL.
