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There are no histrionics at works on Cassie, the debut album from Connecticut singer Cassie, unless you include the hammy sweaty, porno-like synths that are the starsof the show. That’s pretty much the theme of Cassie: grinding synths that drip of sex and conjure up images of the brilliantly trashy porno films from the 1980s. I can just see vintage porn star Vanessa del Rio puckering up now.
When Cassie was first released in 2006, Cassie Ventura was a baby-faced 20-year-old who despite her exotic Filipino-Black beauty exuded an aura of a typical young adult. Looking at her and the way she conducted herself, it could be assumed that she partied with friends, went to the beach in all her bronzed skin-and-sunglasses glory. It was when an unofficial video for “Me & U” showed Cassie in green night vision a la Paris Hilton’s infamous sex tape that the kittenish popular-girl quality started to pour out of Cassie. She was showing signs of maturity, some would say. The official video for “Me & U” ended up being a classier affair where Cassie channeled Janet Jackson more than Paris Hilton. The sexy sound of Cassie foreboded Cassie’s current sexed up, pop tart image.
Cassie is mostly written and produced by 80s aficionado Ryan Leslie who is the reason for the album’s synth-heavy appeal. Leslie treats Cassie as his lite-version of Janet Jackson, except Leslie produces Cassie as if he’s been watching some vintage porn. One of the best ways Leslie showcases his New Wave sound is on Cassie’s debut single, “Me & U.” Although Cassie’s vocal delivery on “Me & U” is calm, measured and devoid of melisma, her delivery is not robotic. Instead, Cassie sings in a fashion that is quite carnal. Cassie’s treble voice is the vocal equivalent of an ice cube melting into liquid on a hot summer day. Her voice is used as an instrument that works in synergy with all of the synths that make up Cassie’s “electro” sound.
Leslie’s synth tapestries are frequently sweeping and they lay the under currents of sex on Cassie. Leslie’s synths build to a climax, but that’s on only a few songs on an album as short as Cassie. There are ten full songs on the album, but only five songs are worth the listen. “Me & U” is the obvious centerpiece of Cassie, but “Miss Your Touch” and “Just One Night” are head nod-inducing midtempos. “Miss Your Touch” is refreshingly concise and resembles a song SWV might sing from the early 1990s, as does “Just One Night.” “Kiss Me” is a ballad that is the best song behind “Me & U” for sheer melodic perfection. The song is breathy, dreamy and arousing. “You don’t have to hold back or be shy/I can tell you want me in your eyes” are some of the lyrics Cassie sings during the chorus on “Kiss Me.” This song has a soulfulness that no other song on Cassie has. “Kiss Me” is so soulful that Cassie actually sings vocal runs such as “It’s intoxicating, I barely can breathe” with urgent desire. Some of the songs give off some New Edition flavor circa 1984, when Bobby Brown was still clean-cut. The song, “About Time” is the song that first planted the New Edition seed in my head that sounds like a typical song coming from a woman not far out of her teenage years.
It’s when Cassie and Ryan Leslie decided to keep it sexy that Cassie picks up steam. Unfortunately, the boring and annoyingly poppy songs bring the album down and interrupt the album’s momentum. Songs like the dragging ballad, “Not With You” and the pop-rap number, “What Do You Want” should never have been added to Cassie; the songs do not fit with the album’s sexual theme.
Current pop-R&B is heavily influenced by rap and hip-hop, but Cassie sounds like music from other eras. The album would fit more comfortably next to albums by Jody Watley and SWV than the Ciaras and the Danity Kanes of the world. Put on your dancing shoes or shed your clothing to the sexy synth music of Cassie.
When Cassie was first released in 2006, Cassie Ventura was a baby-faced 20-year-old who despite her exotic Filipino-Black beauty exuded an aura of a typical young adult. Looking at her and the way she conducted herself, it could be assumed that she partied with friends, went to the beach in all her bronzed skin-and-sunglasses glory. It was when an unofficial video for “Me & U” showed Cassie in green night vision a la Paris Hilton’s infamous sex tape that the kittenish popular-girl quality started to pour out of Cassie. She was showing signs of maturity, some would say. The official video for “Me & U” ended up being a classier affair where Cassie channeled Janet Jackson more than Paris Hilton. The sexy sound of Cassie foreboded Cassie’s current sexed up, pop tart image.
Cassie is mostly written and produced by 80s aficionado Ryan Leslie who is the reason for the album’s synth-heavy appeal. Leslie treats Cassie as his lite-version of Janet Jackson, except Leslie produces Cassie as if he’s been watching some vintage porn. One of the best ways Leslie showcases his New Wave sound is on Cassie’s debut single, “Me & U.” Although Cassie’s vocal delivery on “Me & U” is calm, measured and devoid of melisma, her delivery is not robotic. Instead, Cassie sings in a fashion that is quite carnal. Cassie’s treble voice is the vocal equivalent of an ice cube melting into liquid on a hot summer day. Her voice is used as an instrument that works in synergy with all of the synths that make up Cassie’s “electro” sound.
Leslie’s synth tapestries are frequently sweeping and they lay the under currents of sex on Cassie. Leslie’s synths build to a climax, but that’s on only a few songs on an album as short as Cassie. There are ten full songs on the album, but only five songs are worth the listen. “Me & U” is the obvious centerpiece of Cassie, but “Miss Your Touch” and “Just One Night” are head nod-inducing midtempos. “Miss Your Touch” is refreshingly concise and resembles a song SWV might sing from the early 1990s, as does “Just One Night.” “Kiss Me” is a ballad that is the best song behind “Me & U” for sheer melodic perfection. The song is breathy, dreamy and arousing. “You don’t have to hold back or be shy/I can tell you want me in your eyes” are some of the lyrics Cassie sings during the chorus on “Kiss Me.” This song has a soulfulness that no other song on Cassie has. “Kiss Me” is so soulful that Cassie actually sings vocal runs such as “It’s intoxicating, I barely can breathe” with urgent desire. Some of the songs give off some New Edition flavor circa 1984, when Bobby Brown was still clean-cut. The song, “About Time” is the song that first planted the New Edition seed in my head that sounds like a typical song coming from a woman not far out of her teenage years.
It’s when Cassie and Ryan Leslie decided to keep it sexy that Cassie picks up steam. Unfortunately, the boring and annoyingly poppy songs bring the album down and interrupt the album’s momentum. Songs like the dragging ballad, “Not With You” and the pop-rap number, “What Do You Want” should never have been added to Cassie; the songs do not fit with the album’s sexual theme.
Current pop-R&B is heavily influenced by rap and hip-hop, but Cassie sounds like music from other eras. The album would fit more comfortably next to albums by Jody Watley and SWV than the Ciaras and the Danity Kanes of the world. Put on your dancing shoes or shed your clothing to the sexy synth music of Cassie.
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