For the past half-decade, evilgiane and his Surf Gang collective have had their hands all over the quirkiest and most effervescent sounds of rap’s underground and mainstream. Already this year, the elusive-yet-ubiquitous producer is credited on Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE’s POMPEII // UTILITY, a song with Compton’s $amaad, and an ambient instrumental tape. On his newest release, #HEAVENSGATE VOL. 2, he continues to build cloud-rap utopias, constructing ethereal textures with weightless sines and pressurized 808s. The sequel to 2024’s #HEAVENSGATE enlists high-profile talent like Rico Nasty and RealYungPhil, as well as lesser-known names like $amaad and New York’s Dee Aura, for songs that dissolve the boundaries between trap, plugg, ambient, and drill.
Giane’s synergy with some two dozen featured artists, including many frequent Surf Gang collaborators, shines on VOL. 2. “HELLLLP MEEEEE !!!,” featuring Harto Falión and co-produced with Elipropperr, has muggy keys, whistling chimes, and dissociative, brooding lyrics. Upcoming North Philadelphia rapper HappyDranker appears on “sneaky,” growling and murmuring about different guns to catch his opps over translucent melodies. The bubbly “Go Slow” follows, where electronic artist Bootee softly harmonizes throughout. On “straps,” Giane gets Atlanta rapper LAZER DIM 700 to slow down his frantic style and for a more restrained and dopey performance; on “GMT,” he brings out UK grime group Ammi Boyz for their first new music since 2018. He also tags in Harrison and Maryland’s Nourished by Time for “Karma Sutra,” where Lucy’s desolate lyrics are backdropped by electronic keys and a rumbling bassline.
Many of these tracks barely touch two minutes, sometimes not even 90 seconds, and with such a profusion of directions, certain ideas feel fleeting to the point of frustration. “762” with xaviersobased is a whirlwind of a track that likely could’ve been cut; he’s more appealing on “strobe lights,” with its twinkling arpeggios and airy countermelody. The most unfortunate example is “toxic,” with Cash Cobain and Vontee the Singer, a sample-driven sexy drill track that feels unfinished and ends on an underwhelming cliffhanger after Vontee’s verse.
Still #HEAVENSGATE VOL. 2 is full of vignettes that capture the core appeal of evilgiane’s sound: niche samples, glowing synths, fidgety hi-hats and snares, and a vocal cast where everyone feels equally well-matched. And while it’s not easy to orchestrate such a long guest list, Giane manages pretty well. Rather than just a loose compilation, #HEAVENSGATE VOL. 2 takes shape as a producer tape built off the strength of his eclectic taste.
