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The masked rapper’s debut album is an distinctive world-builder, bleak but glistening in its dystopian soundtrack to an on the spot basic.
There’s no British rapper as elusive as North London’s CASISDEAD. Faceless since his rebrand from Castro Saint, the mystique behind his story is what’s saved followers engaged, obtainable purely by means of the minimal output the ex-grime emcee places out. His final full size effort got here in 2014, drip-feeding singles over the past 9 years near strategic vogue. “Take heed to the album,” he stated in a current uncommon interview. If the rapper’s to be believed, the solutions lie in his long-anticipated debut album.
Creativeness runs wild on Well-known Final Phrases, producing a puzzling, addictive universe executed with precision by one of many nation’s most gifted rappers.
Well-known Final Phrases is each vivid and cryptic, a theatrical sci-fi journey drowned in dreamy 80s synths courtesy of Stranger Issues composer Kyle Dixon, alongside Johnny Jewel, MsM, Felix Joseph and extra. It’s a starry-eyed escapade from the actual world into one thing far worse, mired by dependancy, management, self-indulgence, and dormant trauma.
Threaded all through Well-known Final Phrases is a dense narrative that makes for an bold idea album: a managed dystopian society being fed Aghast 6, a drug inducing apathy in its topic, developed by an organization referred to as DeadCorp. Presumably, CAS is on this drug, indulging in its major signs—elevated sexual urge for food—all through the album. The eight skits comply with Alpha and Omega, two rebels who refuse to take the drug & purpose to take down DeadCorp. The 2 tales by no means intersect however are vastly linked, identical to a well-directed film with an A-plot and B-plot. It speaks to CASISDEAD’s creativity and skill to drag off an idea album with such element, to the purpose the place web sites and commercials exist for Apathy 6 detailing its signs.
The expertise is filled with previously-released singles which nonetheless sound recent amongst the album. Cult basic “Pat Earrings” lands a placement regardless of its eight-year age, as does “Earlier than This”, “Traction Management” and “Boys Will Be Boys”. The La Roux collaboration “Park Help” is dearly missed, and would’ve packed an acceptable punch.
As an alternative of grabbing fashionable options, CAS works with alt artists to match his ambitions. The Connie Constance hook of “Marilyn” is a starry-eyed affair, married to the synthwave aesthetic like each different monitor. Need duets with CAS on the shifting “Actin’ Up”, whereas Kamio lays a raunchy hook on “Pineapple Juice”. The visitor vocals really feel methodical, all a part of the puzzle Well-known Final Phrases is constructing.
Apt to the album title, closing monitor “Skydive” that includes Neil Tennant of the Pet Store Boys reads as a dying observe. CAS bears probably the most private verse of his profession, doubtlessly serving as a double that means for his character dying from Apathy 6 and his rumoured real-life well being battles. It’s a highly effective nearer, bringing to a near the grim message of the album.
At each flip, the listener is offered with probably the most refreshing album UK rap’s had in years. Well-known Final Phrases is an enthralling expertise, maximising efforts, ambition and creativity. In a yr the place hip hop’s been below the hearth for its lack of dominance, CASISDEAD reveals the world beat the chances and grant an on the spot basic. Listen UK rappers, this the brand new bar.
9 / 10
Greatest tracks: “Pat Earrings”, “Marilyn”, “Actin’ Up”, “Venom”, “Skydive”, “Matte Gray Wrap”, “Boys Will Be Boys”, “Earlier than This”
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