Kassa Overall - Animals

A beautiful album full of powerful music!

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Things can sometimes show up at the right time in your life and make such an impact, you can’t remember a time without it. Kassa Overall’s album Animals is that for me. This is one of my favourite records to come out in 2023 and I cannot wait to share it with you! 

Kassa Overall is an emcee / singer / producer / drummer and just an all round phenomenal musician. He has released two other records under his own name (I THINK I’M GOOD and Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz) and produced some amazing musical journeys with Shades of Flu, Shades of Flu 2 and Shades of Flu 3.

Animals starts with a short 9 second track called Anxious Anthony, which I think sets the scene perfectly. Perhaps too short to be an overture, but enough to make you stop whatever you are doing and listen. A couple of cymbal hits from Kassa and Anothany Ware playing some choice notes on a couple of saxophones, but it says it all! A few seconds later you are hit with the big sounds of Ready To Ball, and you’re in!

I first heard about Kassa when he came to Melbourne with Social Science, a group led by drummer Terri-lyne Carrington. They played at the Jazzlab for the International Jazz Festival and it was one of the festival highlights for me in 2018. Kassa was the emcee - rapping, singing and bringing a great vibe! When something really hits me, like that show did, I can’t help but research everyone in the band. Over the next few years, Kassa quickly became one of my favourite artists - seemingly a down to earth, fun person to be around, and creating some joyful and adventurous music. 

Animals is just that, an adventurous album full of creative music. It features some really interesting musicians from all walks of life. I’m not going to name everyone, but this includes Vijay Iyer, Kris Davis, Craig Taborn, Danny Brown, Laura Mvula and Tomoki Sanders. Like before, this in itself is a treasure chest of music to explore!

I think there is a lot in the lyrics here, and it feels very personal. There is talk of anxiety, jealousy, losing faith and losing time. This might sound heavy (and it is!) but the music feels like Kassa is sharing this with you as a close friend and wants you to hear it. The music grooves and feels good! It makes you want to move and be engaged with the story(ies) being told. There are big outbursts of energy to release any pent up tension and plenty of time to reflect. It is easy to lose yourself in the music and have your mind wander when you sit with it. 

The Lava is Calm is one of my favourites, it feels almost like a dream. The groove is a slow, passionate dance, intertwined with some serious outburst of energy. Kassa’s lyrics are the same, the passion is there, but maybe hard to find, coming back every now and then, but always bubbling away.

The album finishes with Going Up. An uplifting way to end (excuse the pun!) It feels like a “thanks for listening, let’s talk soon!” A couple of deep breaths and the album is done, and you feel good, maybe refreshed and excited, ready for life, a bit closer to yourself, and I reckon a bit closer to Kassa.

You can find the links at the top of this post for where you can stream Animals, and perhaps more importantly, where you can buy it. If you buy the vinyl, there is a bonus track at the beginning (probably on the CD too!) Ooh!! 

FInd out more about Kassa Overall here