Is there a better moment for AraabMuzik—the Rhode Island beatmaker Abraham Orellana—to drop a follow-up to Electronic Dream, his groundbreaking 2011 debut? That first album was a thrilling mix of EDM synths and heavy hip-hop beats, capturing the chaotic energy of a post-recession generation chasing euphoria through electronic excess. Now, with artists like Bladee and Nettspend embracing an even bigger, bolder version of that sound, the timing seems perfect.
Yet Electronic Dream 2, while immersive and moody—packed with AraabMuzik’s signature blend of darkness and decadence—sometimes feels restrained. Tracks like Til You Drop recapture the original’s hallucinatory magic, but others, like 3AM and Half a World Away, come off as standard beat tape material, partly because his once-revolutionary style now feels familiar.
Calling this a sequel might have been a misstep. The massive trap anthem Reach Out is intense and unsettling, but it clashes with the original album’s distinct vibe. Sequels are tempting—rappers do it all the time, and nostalgia drives so much of pop culture that even Madonna is teasing Confessions Part 2. But for a pioneer like AraabMuzik, pushing forward might have been the better move.
