In March of 2015, long-time respected member of LA’s hip hop scene, Ariano, connected with rising Portland producer Jade River to create Ink in My Eyes, a trap and sample-based project merging the roots of boom bap with today’s sonics. There is an obvious chemistry that stands out when these two come together to create, and now four years later, Ariano and Jade River are dropping a continuation of Ink in My Eyes with a new full-length project, Child Trapped in Poems.

As the duo inches closer to the release of Child Trapped in Poems, Jade’s boom bap beats shine through in “Through the Trap,” a gritty tale of three people who resolve to do whatever it takes to break through their bleak life circumstances and overcome the odds. Ariano delivers the story with a muffled rasp in a rap-talk cadence that

While “Through the Trap” is heavy on that boom bap sound, Jade deftly weaves some classic rock influences into the beats, with Ariano following suit into a distressed microphone.

“Through the Trap” shows us how far Ariano and Jade River have truly come since their last effort. You can try and label this new collaboration as hip hop, rock or whatever you want, but whatever you think it may be, it is a perfect preview of the tale that Ariano and Jade River are getting ready to tell us on a Child Trapped in Poems. Until then, turn your speakers loud and break “Through the Trap” with this new single.