For more than a decade, Dutch Duo Yellow Claw have helped define one of EDM’s most chaotic and influential eras, turning mainstage mayhem into a global movement. On their newest, JESUS LOVES TRAP MUSIC, they reaffirm that sentiment with an album that takes listeners back to the foundation that started it all.*

Known for their explosive blend of trap, bass, and hardstyle energy, Yellow Claw have always been about culture: a community, a world, and a sound that refuses to stay still. So their latest offering, spanning 20 tracks, dives back into the heavy 808s, distorted basslines, raw intensity of 2014-era trap and explosive drops that first made them synonymous with festival trap on stages like Coachella and Tomorrowland, reframing it to prove the genre still has room to evolve.

The title itself, JESUS LOVES TRAP MUSIC is intentionally boldly playful and impossible to ignore–much like their approach to music. At a time when the industry is increasingly shaped by algorithms, short-form content and disposable singles, choosing to release such a packed project feels like its own kind of rebellion; but for Yellow Claw, it’s less about chasing trends and more about staying connected to the people who have been there from the beginning.

Still, beneath the aggression and adrenaline it couldn’t be more personal. Yellow Claw described the album as a “musical diary”–a body of work shaped by years of touring, unfinished demos rediscovered and paired with fresh collaborations from artists like RemK, Yung Raja, and more. 

With trap once again finding new life, JESUS LOVES TRAP MUSIC arrives as both a love letter to the genre and a reminder of who helped push it into the global spotlight. Speaking with 1883 Magazine, Yellow Claw reflect on legacy, reinvention, and why trap still hits just as hard.

Your new record has such a striking and provocative title. What does it represent to you creatively and what kind of reaction were you hoping it would spark?

Doesn’t it sound awesome? Plus it’s true.

You’ve described this project as a return to your roots. What did revisiting the early trap era unlock for you creatively that you felt had been missing in recent years?

There definitely wasn’t anything missing from our lives or careers, but we think it’s normal for an artist to broaden their style and grow gradually, and go on that adventure. After a while, you come back to the foundation of your original work and see that you weren’t really done there–and it inspired us all over again.

There’s often a fine line between nostalgia and reinvention. How did you approach making this album feel forward-thinking rather than simply looking back?

That’s easy. Trap is very much back, and we are finally not alone anymore. There are so many new young producers out there dropping revolutionary work, and that inspires us and pushes our music to the next level as well.

Was there ever a moment where you felt disconnected from the sound that originally defined Yellow Claw–and did making this album change that?

No, never.

You chose to release a 20-track album at a time when music consumption is increasingly fast and fragmented. What does committing to a full body of work mean to you today?

To do it differently and not follow any trend or norm. It feels good to not do it like everybody else. Whether it’s smart or not, it feels right.

You’ve referred to the album as a “musical diary.” What were the dominant emotions or experiences shaping you while creating it?

We travel the world and DJ all over. That means we write songs everywhere and really pick up ideas, vocals, and collaborations wherever we go.

Some of the tracks stem from older, unfinished ideas. What was it like revisiting those moments, and did you find yourselves reinterpreting them through who you are now?

Yeah, there’s one song on the album that took us 7 years from the first demo we wrote. And it finally clicked, and we finally knew what to do.

Your music has always been tied to high-energy, collective experiences. When building this album, were you imagining the chaos of a live crowd, or more personal, introspective listening moments; or even both?

We made this album for the clubs and the festivals. Literally every song on the album is a banger we can play at our shows.

Collaboration plays a major role on this project. What do you look for in collaborators today, and how do you ensure each feature still feels cohesive within the Yellow Claw universe?

Just how we always did it. Connect with people, work, and create. If it feels good, then it feels good.

You’ve built a deeply loyal global fanbase over the years. How has your relationship with your audience evolved as both you and your listeners have grown?

It’s the one thing we might be most proud of. We have such a strong and loyal community all around the world, and they’ve stuck by us all these years. It’s something we know not every artist has, and we don’t take it for granted.

In an industry increasingly shaped by short-form content and algorithms, do you feel something is being lost in how audiences engage with music especially within your genre–and is releasing a project like this your way of pushing against that?

It definitely is. It’s hard having to promote yourself and your music in such a different way than before. The culture changed so drastically because of big tech. It’s not always the most fun or inspiring thing to do. So when we do an album, I guess we do it for everybody that feels that way, including ourselves.

Yellow Claw has always felt like more than just music; it’s a world, a community, a visual identity. How conscious are you of that world-building when creating a project like this?

We are conscious of everything we connect our name to. But we follow our hearts, so things like that come easy.

With €URO TRA$H, you explored a very different sonic and aesthetic space. What did that project allow you to express that Yellow Claw doesn’t?

We wanted to make music we could play at afterparties, because after a big show we always wanted to play something different to really switch the vibe. €URO TRA$H became that vehicle.

After more than a decade in the industry, what gives you the confidence to move so freely between sounds and genres without feeling like you’re losing your identity?

That’s a really good question. I guess we don’t really think about it that much. And I think people hear our signature sound across all the different genres we do. I think that stops it from being confusing or diluted.

You were part of trap’s global breakthrough moment. Looking ahead, where do you see the genre evolving–and what role do you want Yellow Claw to play in shaping that future?

Keep pushing the envelope, but also stay true to our sound and legacy.

JESUS LOVES TRAP MUSIC is out now, follow via @yellowclaw

Interview Stanley Kilonzo