AraabMuzik: Biography, Discography and More | EDM Encyclopedia

Introduction

Abraham Orellana, performing under the name AraabMuzik, is an American record producer recognized for his live instrumental performances. Rather than DJing or playing pre-recorded sets, Orellana constructs beats and instrumentals in real time using an Akai Pro Music Production Center (MPC) drum machine. This approach to live performance distinguishes him within the electronic music landscape, where laptop-based sets remain more common. His hands-on method with the MPC allows audiences to watch the beatmaking process unfold on stage, turning studio production into a visible, physical act.

Orellana developed his skills in Providence, Rhode Island, building a reputation through online videos that showcased his speed and precision on the MPC. His ability to trigger samples and construct complex rhythmic patterns at high velocity attracted attention from hip-hop and electronic music audiences alike. The visual element of his performances, fingers striking pads at rapid pace, became a signature aspect of his public profile.

Active since 2011, Orellana has maintained a consistent release schedule while also collaborating with vocal EDM artists across hip-hop and trap. His work as a producer for other performers runs parallel to his solo instrumental projects, which form the core of his discography. These solo releases emphasize instrumental composition over vocal features, positioning his production as the central focus rather than a backing element for a singer or rapper.

Genre and Style

AraabMuzik’s music sits at the intersection of trap, electronic, and instrumental hip-hop. His production centers on the MPC as both a compositional tool and a performance instrument. He uses the hardware to program rapid, rhythmic drum patterns that form the backbone of his tracks. These patterns often feature tightly quantized hi-hats, snare rolls, and kick drums at tempos and densities associated with trap production.

The trap EDM Sound

Melodic elements in his work typically come from sampled sources. Orellana layers synthesized pads, vocal chops, and atmospheric textures over his drum programming. The combination of aggressive percussion with dreamlike or emotional melodic content creates a contrast that defines much of his solo output. This balance between hard-hitting rhythm and softer melodic material gives his tracks a specific character within the broader trap and electronic categories.

His approach to sampling extends beyond simple loop-based production. Orellana chops and rearranges source material into new melodic sequences, using the MPC’s velocity-sensitive pads to control dynamics and expression. This method allows for variation within repeated sections, keeping loops from feeling static. The result is production that feels both structured and improvisational, reflecting his background in live performance where spontaneity plays a role alongside pre-programmed sequences.

Key Releases

Orellana’s solo discography consists of five confirmed albums released between 2011 and 2018. His debut, Electronic Dream (2011), introduced his instrumental approach to a wider audience. The album blended trap-influenced drum programming with melodic samples, establishing the template that much of his subsequent work would follow.

• Electronic Dream
• Instrumental University
• For Professional Use Only 2
• Dream World
• MVP of the MPC, Vol. 1

Discography Highlights

In 2012, he released Instrumental University, continuing the focus on MPC-based composition. The album further developed the contrast between rapid percussion and atmospheric melody that characterized his first release.

For Professional Use Only 2 arrived in 2014. This release maintained the instrumental format while incorporating harder-edged production elements, reflecting the evolution of trap production sounds during that period.

Dream World (2016) expanded his melodic sensibilities. The album leaned into the ambient and synthesized components of his EDM sound, balancing these against his established rhythmic framework.

His most recent confirmed album, MVP of the MPC, Vol. 1, came out in 2018. The title directly references his instrument of choice and his reputation for technical skill with the hardware. This release continued his trajectory of solo instrumental production rooted in MPC performance and programming. His active period extends to 2020, with further material possible beyond the albums listed here.

Famous Tracks

Abraham Orellana, known professionally as AraabMuzik, released his debut album Electronic Dream in 2011. The project merged hip-hop sampling techniques with electronic music structures, establishing a sound built on rapid drum programming and melodic layering that would define his subsequent output.

In 2012, he released Instrumental University, which expanded on his sample-based approach. The project showcased his ability to construct melodic compositions from disparate audio sources while maintaining the rhythmic density that characterizes his production style.

For Professional Use Only 2 arrived in 2014, pushing further into trap-influenced territory with aggressive percussion and faster tempos. The production emphasized his rapid drum programming, a core element of his MPC technique that allows him to generate complex rhythmic patterns at speed.

dream pop World (2016) shifted toward more ambient textures and layered atmospherics. While the rhythmic intensity remained present, the project explored different sonic territory compared to his earlier releases, incorporating wider varieties of source material for his samples and melodies.

His 2018 release, MVP of the MPC, Vol. 1, directly referenced the AkaiPro MPC drum machine that serves as his primary instrument. The project functioned as both a showcase of technical proficiency and a demonstration of how he uses the hardware to produce rapid, rhythmic drum patterns while creating melodies through sampled and synthesized sounds.

Across these five projects released between 2011 and 2018, AraabMuzik developed a EDM production approach characterized by speed, density, and the creative manipulation of samples within the constraints of his chosen hardware. His output remains centered on the possibilities of the MPC as a compositional tool.

Live Performances

AraabMuzik made his name performing beats and instrumentals live and in real time on the AkaiPro MPC. This approach distinguishes him from producers who rely on laptops, pre-recorded sets, or backing tracks during live appearances.

Notable Shows

His performances are physical demonstrations of production technique. He constructs complete arrangements on stage by triggering samples and programming drums directly on the MPC pads, building tracks from their foundational elements in front of the audience. The speed of his hand movements across the pads became a defining visual element of his shows, with his fingers triggering multiple samples in rapid succession.

By performing production rather than DJing, AraabMuzik transforms a typically invisible studio process into a visible, audience-facing experience. Each show involves live decision-making: he adjusts patterns, layers new samples, and modifies sequences based on the moment rather than a predetermined arrangement.

This real-time approach to beat construction has placed him on stages at both electronic music festivals and hip-hop events. His performances function without additional backing tracks or laptop support, relying entirely on the MPC as a standalone performance instrument capable of generating complete musical arrangements.

The improvisational nature of his sets means no two performances are identical. He builds rhythms layer by layer, adding kick drums, hi-hats, snare patterns, and melodic samples in sequences that shift and evolve throughout a single track or transition between sections of his set.

Why They Matter

AraabMuzik demonstrated that MPC-based production could function as live performance rather than exclusively a studio process. By taking the hardware on stage and constructing beats in real time, he changed how audiences and fellow producers understand the role of the beatmaker in live music settings.

Impact on trap

His technical proficiency with the AkaiPro MPC expanded the perceived capabilities of the instrument. The speed and rhythmic complexity of his drum programming showed that the drum machine could serve as a performance instrument rather than solely a production and sequencing tool. Producers who followed often reference his hand speed and pattern complexity as benchmarks for what the hardware can achieve when operated at its technical limits.

His catalog illustrates a specific trajectory in American electronic and hip-hop production. Over seven years and five projects, he developed an approach that drew from trap percussion, electronic music structures, and sample-based hip-hop without adhering fully to the conventions of any single genre. This cross-genre positioning allowed his instrumental releases to reach audiences in both the electronic and hip-hop spaces.

As an American record producer who built his career through instrumental releases and live MPC performances, AraabMuzik established a model for producer-centric artistry. His work prioritizes hardware skill and real-time execution over traditional song structures or vocal EDM collaborations, demonstrating that technical production ability presented as live performance can sustain audience interest across multiple projects and touring schedules.

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