Album- Original Me
Artist- Cascada
German Eurodance group Casada have been one of the leaders
of the dance music pack in the 21st century, producing such
worldwide hits as ‘Evacuate the Dancefloor’ and ‘Everytime We Touch’. Yet after
the release of the former single the bands career seems to have taken a dip,
with Original Me becoming their first record not to reach the UK top ten. Most
recently the band has competed in the Eurovision Song contest, seemingly a sign
that they are not the bestselling group they once were. The question is, why
have the groups status in the music industry changed so much? Is it because of
a change in sound, or is it simply because like a lot of artists people have
just gotten bored of them?
Track 1- San
Francisco
Controversially noted for its similarities with the 2010
Katy Perry single ‘California Gurls’, San Francisco is a summery electro pop
and dance pop tune that presents a simpler commercial sound than the groups
previous, more club driven material. The song lyrically finds the group paying
tribute to the city of San Francisco, asking us to wake them up in San
Francisco. The lyrics are too clichéd with the use of a ‘1 2 3’ shout out in
the pre chorus and references to dj’s and city lights. However the chorus has a
simple tone that makes the song a bit catchier, whilst the groups vocalist
Natalie Horler gives us a light and fun vocal performance that makes us feel
like she does truly enjoy San Francisco, although the use of Auto Tune in
places is annoying. The songs moderate tempo and grinding synth beats further
creates this light energy to the track, and so although this isn’t a really
original tune, the song is just nice and fun and something you can bob along
to.
3.5/5
Track 2- Au Revoir
Sharing a similar sound and energy to the work of Britney
Spears in her 2008Circus album era, this track was the records second single
and finds Horler lyrically telling this guy to go away as she is unimpressed
with him thinking that he is bigger than life. The brush off lyrical content is
feisty and catchy, but the lyrical content suffers because of the vocal
performance. This is because Horler’s voice is heavily Auto Tuned in places and
just comes across as a lifeless brush off rather than a girl being feisty. The
electro pop sound utilises a heavy bassline and some smooth synthesisers to give
the track a great dance feel, and so this is a fun track that would just be
better without the Auto Tune.
3.5/5
Track 3- Unspoken
(featuring Carlprit)
Rapper Carlprit teams up with the dance trio again (after
his uncredited appearance on the hit song Evacuate the Dancefloor) for this sweet
pop song that turns the tempo down a level and finds the two artists giving us
a pure love song. Lyrically the track focuses on the mutual attraction between
two lovers who work so well together it is like they are synchronised. Horler
provides a pure and light vocal to the chorus that makes the song catchy,
whilst Carlprit provides some cool raps for the verses that feel as a loved up
as the chorus and which also have a charismatic quality. The heavy bass and
nice piano melody of the production just gives the song this pure sound that elevates
the lyrical content and makes the whole song feel more truthful, and so
although this is quite a different song for the group, it very much works.
3.5/5
Track 4- Pyromania
Released as the records first single, Pyromania is an up
tempo electro pop tune with elements of euro pop, and finds the band lyrically
playing with words. The song finds Horler singing of love as being this
obsession with fire, with the singer giving us a smooth vocal performance that
has a slightly sensual edge and which becomes a bit feistier and catchier in
the chorus. The use of the male vocal for the ‘pyro pyro’ hook is a little
weird but is also catchy. The production of the track features simple club
beats and light synthesisers that create a typical pop sound, and so whilst the
song is catchy, it lacks this sense of originality that the band have produced
before.
3.5/5
Track 5- Enemy
A slinky euro disco song, this track finds a fragile Horler
lyrically telling this person that she is not the enemy, as the relationship is
seemingly at a standstill. The track lyrically lacks the impact of the previous
songs, with much of the concert just coming across as too prominently clichéd,
love based lyrics. Horler brings nice vocal to the track that feels delicate,
and also shows off some of the power of her vocals more than the other songs,
making the song more impactful. The way that the song is more stripped back in
the verses and then becomes more forceful with the steady electro bass in the
chorus is good. Yet whilst the song works in different ways, the track feels
unoriginal and is lacking a certain something to keep your attention.
2.5/5
Track 6- Independence
Day (featuring Carlprit)
Carlprit makes a second and final guest appearance on the
record for this track that is lyrically all about a relationship that is coming
under fire. The song feels like the two artists wanted to make a track that was
the exact opposite of their last collaboration, and so whilst this track
shouldn’t work, it does. The rapper once again provides some strong raps for
the verses, but this time the charisma is nicely replace by aggression, whilst
Horler once again provides a nice vocal in the chorus, but this time she a bit
more powerful and has this essence of fragility in what she is singing. The
production of the track is simple pop with incorporations of rock through the
heavy guitar rhythms and forceful bass, and so this is a simple pop song that
finds the group going nicely into a different direction.
3.5/5
Track 7- Stalker
Stalker in a way feels connected to their previous track,
but things are still very different and more electro pop based. The song
lyrically focuses on the idea of this intense infatuation with a person, and so
you want to be around them all the time. The track could have been a bit more
interesting but the chorus just feels bland, and would have been better if it
felt like it had this darker and twisted energy that made the song live up to
it’s title. The vocals are also once again marred by the use of Auto Tune, and
whilst the production infuses some fizzing synthesisers and drum machine
nicely, the track just comes across as a dance driven number that fails to get
you moving in the way it should.
2/5
Track 8- Night Nurse
Night Nurse was the fourth single from the record and is a
simple electro pop song, but incorporates some euro dance elements, and so is
the song most reminiscent of their previous work. Lyrically the track finds
Horler singing to this guy about how she will be his remedy, focusing on the
idea of being feverish on the dance floor. The song features Horler giving us a
smooth vocal performance that feels sensual, with the Auto Tune male vocal
moments giving the song a twisted and cool element, although the use of Auto
Tune on Horler’s voice comes across as annoying. The songs steady electro bass
and punchy dance beats create a vibrant club sound for the track that would
sound good in terms of dance remixes, and so this is a strong offering from the
group that kind of reminds us of their roots.
3.5/5
Track 9- Sinner on
the Dancefloor
As the title would suggest, this is an up tempo dance song
that lyrically describes a love affair on the dance floor. The songs fast paced
lyrical content is vibrant and catchy, with the sinner on the dance floor hook
having that instantly memorable quality that is very appealing. Horler provides
a fun and light vocal performance that has a nice flirtatious edge, although
once again some moments of her vocals are made annoying by the use of Auto
Tune. The production features sharp dance rhythms created by the use of a drum
machine, as well as thick eurodance synthesisers, and so this is just a fun pop
tune that does live up to its title.
3.5/5
Track 10- Original Me
Title track Original Me is an electro pop song which
lyrically focuses on the idea of conformity and modern standards of beauty as
Horler tells this man that she will be what he wants, but he won’t meet the
original her. The song has a simple but interesting lyrical quality that is
catchy, and the vocals feel light and flirtatious and so elevate the songs
message, although Auto Tune makes things worse once again. The bleeping synths
of the production give the track this 1980’s inspired sound, and this is just a
vibrant title track that has an infectious energy about it.
3.5/5
Track 11- Hungover
Ending the album is a simple pop ballad from the group that
contains urban elements. Here we find Horler singing about how this boy has
made her feel very heartbroken, like an eternal hungover, but unless she breaks
away from this person the pain will never stop. The song has a simple lyrical
quality that is clichéd in places but which for the most part is catchy. The
simple piano melody, strings and steady drum bass just create a typical pop
sound that allows the words to leave their mark on the listener, and the vocal
performance is light but fragile and once again is a moment where we get to see
some of Horler’s vocal power. The use of the electric guitar in the final
chorus is a great finish to the song, and so although this is a bit of a
typical pop ballad, it is a nice end to the record that shows that this group
are capable of different musical things.
3.5/5
Final Review
It is simple when listening to this album to see why some
fans of the group might have moved away from them, as the group have definitely
shown a change in sound. Yet whilst their sound may be different, I am a little
surprised the group aren’t doing as well as they used to. This is because although
the sound is different, it still nicely shows a progression for the band and
still keeps the dance energy that is really part of their persona. The album
does lack originality, and some songs are annoyingly marred by the use of vocal
tune, but this record should have had a little more success than it really did.
7/10
Best Track- San
Francisco
Worst Track- Stalker
No comments:
Post a Comment