ElGrandeToto Returns to a Dark and Gritty Origin on 'SALGOAT (Vol. 2)’

For five years running, ElGrandeToto has been the most-streamed artist in Morocco, and one of the biggest names in the MENA music scene. That kind of visibility buys an artist room to experiment, and on the first 'SALGOAT', Toto leaned into that freedom with the SALGOAT character, a hairy, red-eyed, cartoon monster that has become a recurring visual signature. His latest album, 'SALGOAT VOL. 2', keeps the persona but turns the lens inward, returning to the sound that got him here in the first place. Darker, rawer, and less concerned with polish.

The mixtape opens with 'RITUEL', and the title earns its keep. The drum-free instrumental centers around synth arpeggios, a heavy low end, and vocals doubled with otherworldy pitched-down takes. A lo-fi, mellotron-style melody drifts through, and the whole thing has a moody, ceremonial quality, as if SALGOAT, the kind-hearted monster is being conjured before the record proper begins.

What follows is the strongest run on the mixtape, where ElGrandeToto leans into an experimental frame of mind. 'SOFITEL' wastes no time, all explosive energy and stacked ad-libs over a dark trap beat, evil laugh included. It's a statement of intent. 'ZTAYLA&FUFU' pulls back slightly into something smoother and more melodic, built on a heavily distorted, electric-sounding bass and a repetitive background phrase that burrows in; it's one of the catchiest moments on the album. Then 'ROCHE MAN', with Gello 4031, strips things down even further: a reduced, drill-leaning beat, sparse arrangement, a minimal reverb-soaked pluck melody for atmosphere, before bigger distorted synths arrive later in the track.

The middle stretch is most consistent on the album. 'LIBERTÉ' is the project's main anthem. A club-ready cut, with simple vocal melodies following a straightforward structure, but one where the production itself keeps reaching for something more unfamiliar underneath. The title alone feels pointed, given how explicitly this mixtape is framed as Toto stepping away from the commercial machinery of his recent years.

From there, 'NOUVEAU FER' (with Jolagreen23) and 'COMME AVANT' both lean on piano performances - moody and intermittent on the former, more central and aggressive on the latter. Both lean into vocal harmonies and a melancholic mood that suits the SALGOAT persona's darker side. 'SAMEDI', featuring Shaw, brings in a guitar sample over an elaborate arrangement with hefty bass; the tonality is dark, but the vocals stay playful, and the two artists' flows lock together well. 'SHEVCHENKO' closes out this stretch as the most laid-back moment on the record, where a lo-fi sample gives way to a smooth trap beat and a single wispy, fluttering synth note that anchors the whole track. It's understated, but it's one of the project's more replayable songs.

'TÊTE D'ARABE', featuring Zkr, takes a sentimental turn, where a simple, driving piano and a bouncy snare pattern set the scene for a memorable melodic moment from the album. 'J'SAIS PAS', with Timar, takes a different route: RnB-tinged, laced with heavy 808s, and a lead synth that nods to the early 2000s but with a more sinister edge. 'ROCKSTAR' (featuring Rounhaa and Najm) is simpler and more immediate. A smooth synth melody over a minimal trap beat, perfect for a late-night drive, with both features gelling naturally into the track. 'CVP' goes the other direction, opening with a classical guitar and piano passage before turning aggressive and cinematic, complete with string swells and a washed-out vocal section halfway through.

The final stretch eases off the intensity. 'BARCHA' reaches for a futuristic sound without going too far, built on drum machine percussion, and a heavily resonant bass filter. 'GAUCHE DROITE', with Draganov, is one of the more accessible tracks in this section, where a simple pad lays down the harmonic foundation, and while the arrangement is minimal, the production layering keeps it feeling roomy and alive; the flows are melodic, the delivery is smooth, and the energy laid-back but with an edge underneath. 'DOLORES' slows the tempo down considerably. Guitar-centric and hard-hitting, with fast flows working to contrast the slower groove and a brassy synth counter-melody.

At 17 tracks, 'SALGOAT VOL. 2' doesn't always feel like an entirely cohesive album. Some tracks go in opposing directions, but they all carry a similar grit. The simpler, more melodic tracks are where the mixtape is most satisfying, while the more experimental moments are much appreciated, and they show Toto and his collaborators are still willing to push at the edges of what Moroccan trap can sound like.