When Casii Stephen released her single ‘Can’t Handle Me’ in March 2024, it was immediately clear that the world was about to encounter a performer with a huge talent. It was also clear that in the two years since she recorded ‘Trust Fall’, the singer songwriter’s primary influences had changed. Whereas ‘Trust Fall’ – great as it was, and still is – played like a mellow variant of the 90s songwriters associated with the Lilith Fair festival, ‘Can’t Handle Me’ looked even farther back when searching for a groove. With a soul-pop backdrop and massive vocal, that three minute track was as big a homage to a soul fuelled past as an on form Amy Winehouse’s work, and Stephan’s vocal was almost as strong. Her voice also sounded about ten times bigger than its younger self. There was no doubt, this single would be the precursor to great(er) things.

Used as the lead track on the ‘Relationship Status’ EP several months down the line, the track plays just as brilliantly. From the moment its opening bars cut through with a rising horn riff, the arrangement bristles with life. The horns cut across a punchy bassline that sounds like a supercharged take on an old Motown rhythm, but when the main melody hits – sounding like something culled from the Aretha Franklin catalogue crossed with bits of classic Stax and Mahalia Barnes – it literally hits the listener in the jaw. Armed with a timeless soul arrangement augmented by a rocky drum, Stephan lets loose with a lyric celebrating her force of nature attitude, and her sassy tones are equally as powerful as the music itself. If it weren’t for the bright sounding production values, this could be a soul banger from any point between the mid 60s and early 70s. ‘Wine and Gold’ opts, in places, for an even older approach. The verses, again, blend elements of soul and funk straight from 1967; the horns could’ve been pulled from a couple of old Otis Redding and Sam & Dave numbers, and the general groove is more than happy to fall between classic Stax and something with a slightly brighter sound. The music is great but, as before, it’s Stephan who steals the show here with an effortless vocal that blends the power of a 60s soul chanteuse with the volume and confidence of a solo Mel C, resulting in a superb pop-soul hybrid that aims to rouse its audience.

Opting for a rockier approach, ‘Average Man’ opens with a chopping guitar riff that draws influence from old power pop – an unexpected shift after the opening couplet of soul drenched tunes. That riff cuts through the track, beefing up the chorus and creating strong musical bridges between the verses, but when the chorus hits, the listener should be able to detect more of the old soul influences returning. Granted, they aren’t as strong as before; the horns are gone, and the backdrop feels rockier, but there’s still a great retro sound unwinding. Holding the elements together, Stephan’s voice hits full cry as she lets loose against a figure who never lived up to expectations, and even with this slightly different musical avenue being explored, the vocal retains a familiar tone, and an impressive confidence that helps this number sit naturally alongside the previous tracks. In closing, there’s an even bigger change of mood. ‘Without A Box’ captures the US singer songwriter in a very different mood. A piano ballad, the track harks back to similar 90s far from Sarah McLachlan and Chantal Kreviazuk, but naturally remains unmistakably the work of Casii’s own hand. Sharing a slow melody throughout, the track works a strong chord progression augmented by mellow percussion, creating a strong, heart-wrenching sound. Musically strong despite its simplicity, the single is a great reminder of how a stripped down arrangement can create something with a timeless appeal, but its the vocal which truly shines. From the very start, Stephan works a huge, soul oriented sound driven by an obvious vibrato, but as the melody rises, her voice grows accordingly, eventually reaching a peak cry that shows her to be an unquestionably great performer. It mightn’t uplift in the manner of the soul driven tracks, but this is clearly Casii’s finest four minutes to date.

Each of these songs are great. Individually, they present a brilliant vocal and some very strong musical hooks, but when played together, ‘Relationship Status’ becomes bigger than the sum of its parts, with the songs representing a journey. Casii takes the listener through the act of feeling massively confident, falling in love, the realisation of things not being quite what they seemed, then finally breaking free to start a new cycle of life. This is proof that a concept release needn’t be self indulgent, or necessarily need to be explored as a whole to genuinely work. With this EP, Casii takes a huge leap forward, leaving the digital realm with a collection of songs that should be heard and loved by many. A highly recommended listen.

August 2024