the whole Erika de Casier album is really lovely, my favourite is "Space"
― ufo, Saturday, 27 July 2019 06:37
'What U Wanna Do?' -> 'Rainy' -> 'Space' is a great run.
Anyway, this album is ideal ILM fodder (and I mean that in a good way).
― pomenitul, Saturday, 3 August 2019 13:50
maybe make a thread for it? i really love it. it's drawing so heavily on 90s r&b but the production feels much more modern with how much space there is and every individual sound is so good
― ufo, Saturday, 3 August 2019 14:35
I considered making a thread for it too!
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 3 August 2019 19:29
Here is that thread.
Luxuriant, sumptuous r&b. I've seen a few write-ups point to a G-funk influence but to me the more obvious reference point is the stuttering funk of millenial r&b - "Bills Bills Bills" and "No Scrubs" - lots of harpsichord melodies and stop-start percussion. The vibe is somewhere between Sade in 1992 and Janet in 1997 - I'd also say "intimate" except the album does it for me, twice, in two different versions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDM73CL8zXs
The production comes from Casier herself and DJ Central, and there's definitely a textural influence from deep house. Casier's voice is soft and tender, it makes me think of #cassiefanclub in its unshowy plainness. I can imagine comparisons to Jessy Lanza and Kelela but this is much more of a purist's interpretation of r&b.
― boxedjoy, Wednesday, 14 August 2019 20:47 (five years ago) link
the beats make me think of Whitney's "My Love is Your Love", which I love. The vocal, bizarrely perhaps, reminds me of The Digable Planets.
― Funky Isolations (jed_), Wednesday, 14 August 2019 21:15 (five years ago) link
I totally love this. It’s like the sensuous yin to Abra’s yang
― Tim F, Wednesday, 14 August 2019 22:12 (five years ago) link
Also I was NOT prepared for the 1994 Neil Trix jungle realness of the club mix of “Intimate”!!!
― Tim F, Wednesday, 14 August 2019 22:24 (five years ago) link
Seriously this remix is one of the absolute best things I've heard this year. It has me flashing on Janet's "Empty".
Generally speaking the album is so lovely. I've often thought about how even before "One In A Million" came out some of the more sensuous, sumptuous R&B arrangements were almost there, stuff like TLC's "Diggin' On You" is the softest breath away from it. And I feel like this album really leans into that particular crossover point, everything is simultaneously involving and relaxing, seductive yet murderous.
― Tim F, Thursday, 15 August 2019 06:12 (five years ago) link
absolutely one of my favourites of the year. i agree with boxedjoy that turn-of-the-millennium r&b is the main reference point but i hear g-funk pretty prominently too. it has a much more luxurious and space-filled sound compared to most of the turn-of-the-millenium stuff (which has that very dry and compressed sound) though and this + the deep house textures really elevates it above the level of pastiche
― ufo, Thursday, 15 August 2019 08:02 (five years ago) link
oh this is really fantastic
― devvvine, Thursday, 15 August 2019 10:02 (five years ago) link
The lower-key, trip-hop-ish numbers are closest to my heart, obv.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 15 August 2019 10:04 (five years ago) link
Also
Abra
'Fruit' is amazing. I'll have to check out the rest.
― pomenitul, Thursday, 15 August 2019 10:05 (five years ago) link
do my thing deserves to be massive
― devvvine, Thursday, 15 August 2019 10:07 (five years ago) link
nice, sensuous late night music.
― je est un autre, l'enfer c'est les autres (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 15 August 2019 20:52 (five years ago) link
Yes!! I’ve been really enjoying this record
― josh winters (josh), Friday, 16 August 2019 02:06 (five years ago) link
count me in on this one as well. The most Janety thing I've heard since Take Me Apart I guess.
― monotony, Friday, 16 August 2019 02:21 (five years ago) link
I hear INOJ and Samantha Mumba in her voice and in the music
― josh winters (josh), Wednesday, 21 August 2019 05:26 (five years ago) link
Another reference point that occurred to me (re the music) was the uptempo stretches of ‘Embrya’ - that sense of modern R&B as if heard (or perhaps performed) from underwater.
― Tim F, Thursday, 22 August 2019 10:26 (five years ago) link
kinda wish there was a club mix for every track on the album since "intimate (club mix)" is so good
― ufo, Friday, 23 August 2019 13:59 (five years ago) link
album is a fucking miracle
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 27 August 2019 00:58 (five years ago) link
Really bugs the shit out of me that this is not available on CD. Some of us still own stereos . . .
― does it look like i'm here (jon123), Tuesday, 27 August 2019 10:17 (five years ago) link
I like this a lot. It reminds me a little of Cassie but I find the production a bit too sterile/ibiza-wine-bar-background-music to my taste to really be great.
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 27 August 2019 10:24 (five years ago) link
whut
― Tim F, Tuesday, 27 August 2019 11:32 (five years ago) link
you need a clean environment for intimacy
― j., Tuesday, 27 August 2019 15:53 (five years ago) link
― ufo, Friday, August 23, 2019 1:59 PM (five days ago) bookmarkflaglink
^^^^ but also kinda wish the genre comprising this and dawn richard's "black lipstick" was in fact a genre with, like, other songs in it.
― Tim F, Wednesday, 28 August 2019 00:03 (five years ago) link
There isn’t a single bad song on this. An album that really lives up to its name.
― winters (josh), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 06:44 (five years ago) link
yeah when the worst* songs on here are like "good time" and "story of my life" that's a great problem to have
*worst only in the sense of being a step below the really amazing songs like "intimate" and "space"
― Tim F, Wednesday, 4 September 2019 06:51 (five years ago) link
Hmm I put good time in my top picks from the album — great concept
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 08:04 (five years ago) link
Yeah it’s actually great? It’s just that sometimes i’m thrown by the (deliberately) laziness of “I had a rillyrillyrillyrilly good time” (and then other times I love it). Which is my point about the general greatness of the album I guess.
― Tim F, Wednesday, 4 September 2019 08:52 (five years ago) link
yeah i guess it just seems cute & unforced for that reason ... its like the thing you say when you want to say more but are afraid of bungling the articulation so your vocabulary regresses
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Thursday, 5 September 2019 00:02 (five years ago) link
Just discovered that Erika was (is?) part of an alt-R&B duo called Saint Cava:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnzO1Onse2A
― winters (josh), Tuesday, 22 October 2019 05:24 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1LHBCmCNBA
― winters (josh), Tuesday, 22 October 2019 05:28 (four years ago) link
iirc it's a was, they broke up then she teamed up with dj sports for a single a few years ago which lead to the album
― ufo, Tuesday, 22 October 2019 05:47 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luTGJMSmLxg
i forgot to post this but this was the single (by dj central, her main collaborator on essentials, though dj sports did do a remix like he did for "intimate" and he also co-produced some of the album iirc?)
― ufo, Saturday, 26 October 2019 03:32 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCjBW3b_mqk
new remix of "little bit" by erika & el-trick (dj central)
― ufo, Wednesday, 6 November 2019 10:05 (four years ago) link
My favourite discovery from the 2019 EOY nominations. Has anyone seen her live? Just got tickets for the London show next month.
― Chewshabadoo, Wednesday, 29 January 2020 10:25 (four years ago) link
when she whispers her voice somehow reminds me of stina nordenstam. very girlish and immediate. which is a good thing obviously.
― walking towards the sun since 2007 (alex in mainhattan), Wednesday, 29 January 2020 18:47 (four years ago) link
this album is really pretty much perfect at what it does
― ufo, Friday, 14 February 2020 08:12 (four years ago) link
Erika did a remix of Dua Lipa's "Physical" and bodied the vocal with her prod.:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyfA44cXwz0
― winters (josh), Saturday, 25 April 2020 18:32 (four years ago) link
this album is incredible
― megan thee macallan 18 year (||||||||), Saturday, 25 April 2020 18:52 (four years ago) link
https://www.thefader.com/2020/05/21/erika-de-casier-interview-essentials-album
― megan thee macallan 18 year (||||||||), Friday, 22 May 2020 07:42 (four years ago) link
https://youtu.be/MWofrpSCekY?t=1678
gorgeous unreleased song here
― ufo, Monday, 25 May 2020 23:30 (four years ago) link
whole set is lovely
― ||||||||, Tuesday, 26 May 2020 10:09 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK8RilMVd9U
good new track & she's signed to 4AD
― ufo, Tuesday, 20 October 2020 23:46 (three years ago) link
This is just lovely.
― Tim F, Wednesday, 21 October 2020 05:33 (three years ago) link
yes, extremely nice. good for her!
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Wednesday, 21 October 2020 12:44 (three years ago) link
cosign
― Welcome to Nonrock (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 21 October 2020 14:40 (three years ago) link
Early highlight of 2021:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6mgqSP4pKU
Hi Mount - U N Me
Features Erika on vocals. She also sings on the A-side (SPCE - lightness).
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 6 February 2021 17:48 (three years ago) link
this is incredible
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 6 February 2021 18:25 (three years ago) link
that gasp at 1.25 > all other sounds ever
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 6 February 2021 18:40 (three years ago) link
"no butterflies no nothing" was robbed in the tracks poll
― stimmy stimmy yah (Simon H.), Saturday, 6 February 2021 20:05 (three years ago) link
The EP also features another track with vocals from Erika. SPCE - Lightness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saRbqHE44iQ
― Chewshabadoo, Monday, 8 February 2021 14:27 (three years ago) link
Doh, just re-read your post above where you say the same thing.
love "better than that"
― ufo, Wednesday, 19 May 2021 06:54 (three years ago) link
on my first listen -- "Someone to Chill With" is an initial standout to me
― winters (josh), Friday, 21 May 2021 06:18 (three years ago) link
oh this is soooooooo good.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Monday, 24 May 2021 15:06 (three years ago) link
i don't think it's quite as brilliant as the debut but it's still excellent. i'm glad she managed to make a follow-up that built upon what was great about the debut without outright repeating herself
― ufo, Monday, 24 May 2021 15:15 (three years ago) link
This record is very good but man she could deliver the album of the year if she tried out some more experimental production and upped the tempo on a few tracks
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Monday, 24 May 2021 21:24 (three years ago) link
I definitely like this better than the debut though... that record just went in one ear and out the other, but the songwriting and production feel a lot more confident on this one.
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Monday, 24 May 2021 21:25 (three years ago) link
I too like this one better than the debut. The songwriting seems better somehow.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 25 May 2021 03:56 (three years ago) link
What a fucking vibe this album is.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 25 May 2021 08:50 (three years ago) link
I have no complaints - exactly what I was after.
― Chewshabadoo, Tuesday, 25 May 2021 10:34 (three years ago) link
i feel like this is better than the debut yea
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Thursday, 27 May 2021 07:42 (three years ago) link
ahhhh, physical edition arrived at just the right time (i.e. week ~37 of heat wave). "Someone to Chill With"! (etc.)
― swing out sister: live in new donk city (geoffreyess), Saturday, 24 July 2021 23:05 (three years ago) link
Friendly is my jam atm
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 24 July 2021 23:22 (three years ago) link
wow she's playing here in december, never expected that would happen
― ufo, Friday, 26 August 2022 19:41 (two years ago) link
okay wow I need to go to that
― Tim F, Sunday, 28 August 2022 18:24 (two years ago) link
she's great live! just wish she'd played a longer set but she did "intimate (club mix)" as an encore though at least
― ufo, Thursday, 8 December 2022 13:14 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAM5lyb1UQo
― LaMDA barry-stanners (||||||||), Friday, 30 June 2023 12:26 (one year ago) link
incredible
― boxedjoy, Saturday, 1 July 2023 10:00 (one year ago) link
Love this. Will it get an official release?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 1 July 2023 14:12 (one year ago) link
very enjoyable
I believe that is an official link? it's also on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/4v7SAKFEqPyuYTy9gQRnHP?si=1a312715fdaf4219
― corrs unplugged, Saturday, 1 July 2023 20:00 (one year ago) link
On first listen I was a bit underwhelmed, but now I’ve had a chance to listen more it‘s really revealed itself, what a great version.
― Chewshabadoo, Sunday, 2 July 2023 08:43 (one year ago) link
she has a new writing credit here alsohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArmDp-zijuc
― LaMDA barry-stanners (||||||||), Friday, 7 July 2023 19:26 (one year ago) link
https://www.gq.com/story/newjeans-get-up-songwriter-erika-de-casier-interview
good interview about her work for newjeans
it mentions that her new album is finished & coming soon!
― ufo, Friday, 4 August 2023 23:43 (one year ago) link
great interview. Love that bit about newjeans’ management liking the fact that she didn’t listen to kpop
― Roz, Saturday, 5 August 2023 03:24 (one year ago) link
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/09/1197958418/2024-preview-the-most-anticipated-releases-of-the-year
new song "lucky" premiered here at 48:30 except they talk over most of it, but the part they don't talk over sounds absolutely fantastic. they also reveal the new album is titled still
― ufo, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 11:56 (eight months ago) link
Lucky is amazing. Doesn't it have a pretty prominent sample or something? I think I recognize something.
― Frederik B, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 13:08 (eight months ago) link
Oh, a new album is coming, and the single is out now! https://pitchfork.com/news/erika-de-casier-announces-new-album-still-shares-video-for-new-song-lucky-watch
― Frederik B, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 14:18 (eight months ago) link
Awesome!
― Chewshabadoo, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 14:30 (eight months ago) link
sounds great
judging from the credits it should be a Rodney Jerkins and LaShawn Daniels sample, must be the piano? something sounds familiar
― corrs unplugged, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 16:50 (eight months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZOKYZtERFQ
yeah the full "lucky" is wonderful, i'm delighted she's going full "empty"
the piano is sampled from linda karaly's "can't let go"
― ufo, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 22:53 (eight months ago) link
Love this so much - I've wanted her to make songs like this ever since the club mix of "Intimate".
― Tim F, Wednesday, 10 January 2024 23:55 (eight months ago) link
yeah, it's exactly what i've wanted more of from her. already a soty contender
― ufo, Thursday, 11 January 2024 00:35 (eight months ago) link
the drums on this are soooooo good
― ufo, Thursday, 11 January 2024 12:44 (eight months ago) link
Lucky is pretty nice. The descending piano melody reminiscent of Christopher Cross "Sailin".Pre-chorus has "You Gotta Be" vibes.Verse melody at 29-33 seconds is 100% from some rnb or pop tune that I'm going crazy trying to remember. Anybody?
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 11 January 2024 14:15 (eight months ago) link
Song of the year
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 11 January 2024 14:27 (eight months ago) link
I think it might actually be a “sailin’” sample
Song reminds me to so many other things in certain points, but it’s perfect on its own. Really excited about the full album.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 11 January 2024 14:30 (eight months ago) link
Wouldn't mind a copy of just the rhythm track on this thing. Real good fun.
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 11 January 2024 15:50 (eight months ago) link
Like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN5o70QddoE
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 11 January 2024 16:42 (eight months ago) link
That's nice, but was thinking literally just beats (maybe bass). The skittering action and 16th notes make me real happy.
― mr.raffles, Thursday, 11 January 2024 17:38 (eight months ago) link
the sample is 100% "can't let go", the writers are credited and everything
― ufo, Thursday, 11 January 2024 18:08 (eight months ago) link
i think this is the best r & breakbeats song i have ever heard
love this, so gorgeous and deceptively effortless
― Roz, Friday, 12 January 2024 03:09 (eight months ago) link
being an outlier here but I think this is a bit underwhelming
― boxedjoy, Friday, 12 January 2024 08:43 (eight months ago) link
Yeah she sounds a little buried in the fog of the sample to me and this style is not new. Thinking of Cuando Fue that I have relistened to a lot lately.
― Nabozo, Friday, 12 January 2024 09:46 (eight months ago) link
i think this is a great record, i also wish it was mixed differently to give her vocals the effect of levitating above the beat instead of being engulfed by it. the one main difference i would draw between this & something like "empty"
― slob wizard (J0rdan S.), Friday, 26 January 2024 17:09 (seven months ago) link
Ok I just heard 'Lucky' on a playlist having not heard or registered her name before, and I had to look and see if it was newjeans. So I'm glad to learn there's a connection.
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 1 February 2024 15:38 (seven months ago) link
new album sounds very good on first listen but "lucky" is the clear standout
― ufo, Tuesday, 20 February 2024 23:40 (seven months ago) link
after a few more listens i feel a bit underwhelmed, "lucky" is incredible but totally overshadows the rest of the album which is low key even by her standards and the songs are a little weaker and less interesting than usual too
― ufo, Thursday, 22 February 2024 12:46 (seven months ago) link
i enjoyed "ice", but mostly because it's well-executed pastiche of a rap/r&b duet from 20 years ago
― the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Thursday, 22 February 2024 16:06 (seven months ago) link
hmm it's growing on me!
― ufo, Friday, 8 March 2024 09:23 (six months ago) link
whoa, I just learned about the newjeans connection. makes a lot of sense.
― jaymc, Saturday, 4 May 2024 14:08 (four months ago) link