With little advanced notice, Daniel Caesar releases his sophomore album CASE STUDY 01, boasting features from Pharrell, Brandy and John Mayer. This fresh selection of songs still has that romantic Daniel Caesar sound — especially in the chord progressions in "Open Up" and "Too Deep To Turn Back" — but many of these new tracks offer a switch-up from the dreamy acoustics heard on the artist's previous releases, Freudian and Pilgrim's Paradise.
Caesar enters a realm of a more electric and beat-heavy sound with these new 10 songs. As with most of his discography, the lyrics in the album continue to follow the winding emotional path that Caesar conveys through his music. What separates Ceaser from other artists is his relatable range of emotions paired with tastefully written metaphors and imagery.
"So, what's the price? We're like mosquitoes to light in a sense / I feed off of bioluminescence / Love and intent / So it's a quick fix, what else does life have to give but the pain generating inside our own brains?" Caesar muses on "Too Deep To Turn Back."
On "Frontal Lobe Muzik" featuring Pharrell, Caesar sings about the loneliness of still being in love with someone and his yearning for feeling something genuine. The lo-fi, mellow groove of the song is sprinkled with synths and galactic sounds that evolve Caesar's sound.
Caesar's effortless falsetto and soulful harmonies have become a signature for the Toronto artist. Still, it's hard to place Caesar in just one genre because he defies the rigid lines and regulations of both soul, acoustic and R&B music. This fusion and alternative sound is what keeps him relevant. The music he creates reaches across genres, inviting listeners to enjoy and engage in his own universe.