Posted by A second album is never to be taken lightly. Whilst your debut can propel you into the stratosphere, it is your second that decides whether you remain, or if gravity drags you back down to Earth with a vengeance. Many careers have been destroyed by the comfort artists have found in their early success, and following the acclaimed 2019 ‘Essential’ album, I was sceptical about whether Erika de Casier would be able to keep up the momentum that she had established.
But three years later, I realise I need not have worried. With her recent signing to 4AD under her belt and a tight grasp on her childhood love of R&B sounds, she continues to rise above our expectations. Producing a sound that would comfortably fit alongside the greats she once listened to on her Walkman.
“I hope it will put a cheeky smile on your face and smooth moves in your hips,” she laughs about the self-respect anthem ‘Polite’, in which she rebukes the bad boy attitude that so many daters seem to wear proudly. But the statement flows out into the album as a whole, with comments for “when you fell from the sky, did it hurt?” (‘Make My Day’) breaking the fourth wall. Her turning to the audience in a mutual understanding of the statement’s farcical origin.
With her wit and impeccable lyricism, it comes as no surprise that de Casier is a woman of many talents, recently directing the video for ‘No Butterflies, No Nothing’. Incorporating the romanticism of period drama and imperfections of soap operas, de Cassier and her team tied the ribbon on an already immaculate package of a nostalgic tale of grappling with the realities of relationships. Everything she touches turns to gold. Her creativity knows no bounds. And with her European tour seeing her travel to Berlin, London, Paris and beyond, it’s clear that she is prepared to make her mark.
8/10
Words: Megan Walder
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