In his review of 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne’s Welcome 2 Collegrove, Slant’s Charles Lyons-Burt noted that the album’s main flaw was one “endemic to many sequels: It tries to be bigger and better but just ends up feeling lumbering and belabored.” Pinball II, the second collaborative album from Brooklyn rapper Mike and producer Tony Seltzer, manages to sidestep that pitfall. It’s both bigger and, if not outright better, about as good as its predecessor, without sacrificing any of the breezy charm that made that album so captivating.

Pinball is one of Mike’s most laidback albums, as well as one of his boldest, tightest, and most cohesive to date. It swaps out his usual hazy, sample-heavy loops for Seltzer’s crisp trap beats, which carry subtle touches of plugg and cloud rap. Pinball II follows suit, consisting of 17 straight-to-the-point jams, packed with sharp production and carefree flows.