In lesser hands, an entertaining instrumental EPs can be difficult to pull off, but AraabMUZIK is no ordinary producer. The Providence born musician has spent years mastering the MPC, blowing the minds of festival goers worldwide with his creativity and prowess on the AKAI pad. After we premiered his beautiful single "Wanted," AraabMUZIK has delivered his latest creation, the ambitious EP One Of One. The project features a concise six tracks, and finds Araab deftly navigating the line between genres, experimenting with blending disco, house, acoustic, ambient, and hip-hop. It's truly a musical odyssey, and while it can be strange at times, the most exciting journeys often are.
While "Wanted" remains a standout cut, the majority of One Of One continues down that road. The second track "Lock And Load" pairs floating, atmospheric synths with chopped-up trap drums, and Nevelle Viracocha slides through to lay down some distant vocals. Overall, Araab seems to have strayed away from the overtly hip-hop vibes, but songs like "Choir" are still rhythmically grounded in hip-hop tradition. What truly impresses on this project is Araab's clever manipulation of vocal samples, which often result in some of most haunting musical moments he's ever done.
I could go on about the beauty of "Wanted," which is low key one of my sleeper favorite songs this year. There's something infectious about the way the ghostly vocals harmonize with the finger-picked guitar, and in many ways, "Wanted" is the cornerstone of the entire project. Short as it may be, One Of One packs a punch; it's the perfect album for a rainy day, concise, melancholic, and challenging. Props to AraabMUZIK for evolving his sound, and if the producer continues to build off this foundation, perhaps he's only scratching the surface of his talent.