Cassel - Cassel

Cassel

​Cassel
self-released; 2018

​3.6 out of 5

By Bill Todde

Cassel began as the brainchild of Yasmin de Laine back in 2013. Relocating from Adelaide to Melbourne, Cassel became a band. In May of 2018, Cassel released their self-titled debut EP Cassel. Cassel is a project that supports a slower and softer sound than most alternative acts of today. This is not to be taken as a negative; their use of the softer sound to create a more wide array of sounds to consume is executed skillfully and gracefully.

The verses of “Loose Teeth” would blend in seamlessly with some of the deep-cuts from Led Zeppelin IV. The choruses open up with reverb, a much more modern sound than the echoey ’70s type vocals that carry the verses. Both sounds seem right at home side-by-side with each other. “Rotgut” starts off sounding like a hazy dream.

The drums, stomps and claps immediately wake the track up before melting into the floating chorus. It’s an explosively powerful track, running longer than it feels like. “Sleight Of Hand” opens with an arpeggiated riff playing over hazily strummed chords and more of the dreamy vocals that have made themselves a staple on Cassel. Along with “Move Past It” they are an uptick in the tempo of the EP. Featuring more traditional sounding drums and guitars, the songs are a little quicker than the first two on the EP.

Overall, Cassel is an explosive collection of songs housed in a laidback and melodic package. It mixes elements of pop and post-rock to create a vast sonic landscape that colors its curves between layers of reverb and cutting vocals. The haunting elements of the vocals are a calling card of sorts that feature on each of the four tracks. A floating feeling is given off by the album, enveloping the listener in dreamy notes driven through wavy reverb.

​It’s not an EP to listen to before getting ready to start an intense work out. It might be the perfect EP for after an intense workout. It creates a sense of serenity for the listener that is not often found in mainstream rotation. Cassel is going to excite listeners who enjoy sounds on the softer end of the spectrum, by bringing electric energy to the genre.

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