Elusive singer and bass player Alli Cazaam gets retro and hazy yet honest, with her new self-titled album of originals.
Focused on personal storytelling and a nostalgic, canned production style, Alli Cazaam begins with the heavy vocal effects and descending melody of Can’t B, before progressing into the dramatically different ambiance and electronic-rock experimentation, with another heavily warped vocal for a strangely jarring hit of yesteryear musicality.
The bassline and melodic combo of Afterfire (Boogie Down) follows this up with a similar eighties aura, that opening voice again quirky in its injection of quick-paced, almost rapped lyrics amidst this chaotic synth and bass arrangement. Then we get those gentle organic keys again, for the more thoughtful and emotionally loaded Forget Not Our Souls, featuring The Whispers.
During the latter half, seasonal optimism takes hold for Little Christmas Box, the keyboard playful and the vocals higher-toned and still intensely mixed for that lead of ambiance over lyric. There’s potential in the descending melody and playing style again, and the subsequent jazz-like sci-fi aura of Broken follows on well for a more intense but hopeful, self-empowering track.
Music From The After Life leads with Alli’s infectious bass playing again, and offers a simple, repeating hook, which makes for one of the most memorable moments of the album. Then to finish, things get all the more quirky and fun, for the fearlessly creative Slide It.
The minimalism of Slide It lets the programmed qualities of the voice feel a little more exposed, striking up interest in the real thing – the live performance possibilities. There’s a mysterious AI tone to much of the project, but only time will tell. Alli Cazaam is definitely memorable in both name and style.
Find Alli Cazaam on Instagram & her Website.
