Cassie Raptor, the rising star of France’s queer underground scene, sends us into an Orwellian dystopia ridden with the rebellious fervor of punk in “1984,” her first EP.
Cassie Raptor has been an important figure in the French queer underground scene for some time now. She made a name for herself as a talented VJ after joining the LGBTQIA+ collective, Barbi(e)turix and acting as the graphic designer and videographer for their infamous Wet For Me parties. VJing and video production went on to become the highlight of her early artistic career and had prolific collaborations with musicians and festivals, before she got into music production. In only a year, she became one of the most promising rising talents of French electronic music, with mixes recorded for Possession, Boiler Room and Fast Forward, along with tracks released on Sestra and Dusk Records. “1984” is Cassie Raptor’s first solo EP, out on March 2021 on WARRIORECORDS, the label run by queer icon Rebeka Warrior. The title announces a modern twist on George Orwell’s seminal novel, infused with the rebellious drive of punk and rave culture.
The hostilities start with “1984” and its heavy kick, combining the hypnotic elements of trance with a blaring lead to deliver a thrilling assault on our senses. Attentive ears will recognize many of the sounds from the producer’s previous release, “Importing Histories,” entirely reconfigured in a track that uses its dynamic structure to provide a sense of mystery in its engaging storytelling. Next, “Interdiction de Danser,” which translates to “Dancing Is Forbidden,” plays on the paradox evoked by its title: while we are ordered not to dance, the relentless beat serves as an irrevocable injunction to bodily movement. Its thumping beat and intoxicating leads are representative of Cassie Raptor’s future-driven universe, while its uncompromising disruptive spirit rejects the idea of predetermined order. This track seems to be a direct response to the French government’s failure to find viable solutions to ensure the survival of alternative cultural spaces during the pandemic, and emerges as a revolutionary cry for defiance.
“O.B.I.C.” seems to most poignantly convey the core paradox of the EP, which constantly superposes the vocabulary of political repression with a musical style that has historically been used as a means of social resistance. While a kick reminiscent of gabber unleashes an infernally fast pace, Rebeka Warrior’s mesmerizing voice states: “il n’existe qu’un présent éternel où le parti a toujours raison,” which translates to “there only exists an eternal present in which the state is always right.” The rigidness of this Orwellian reference contrasts sharply with the riotous chaos of Cassie Raptor’s sound, yet the fusion between the irresistible beat and the constant order to “obey” forces the listener to give in to the vocals’ diktats. Through the juxtaposition of the liberating fervor of rave culture and the oppressive power of dictatorial speech, the producer provides a refreshing framework for us to contemplate our relationship to dance music and reimagine its potential to engender political reform.
-Théophile Gatté
Link – Bandcamp
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