CAS – “Walkin’” and “All Hallows’”

CAS is a UK rapper related to the grime scene, and the MC supposedly has a full-length release in the works titled Commerical, but it has yet to receive a release date. In the mean time, check out the videos for “Walkin’” and “All Hallows’” above and below.

CAS adopts a decidedly dark aesthetic, spitting subversive lyrics and appearing as a masked figure in videos filled with disorienting images. These ingredients add up to a gimmick in many rappers, but CAS’s words seem to reflect genuine struggles. “Walkin’” in particular depicts a broken down, aimless youth who turns to alcohol to cope with listlessness, and the production fits the MC’s grim tone like a loose-fitting, rain-soaked hoodie.

With frequent Danny Brown collaborator Skywlkr providing the beat on “All Hallows’,” the song achieves a sinister boom bap status. “Walkin’” offers the true instrumental highlight, however, with a minimalistic pairing of breezy synthesizer chords and warm, easygoing bass; it takes a risk by forgoing percussion entirely, but the bass line carries enough momentum to lay a strong rhythmic foundation. While it is admirable for being so unconventional, what truly sets it apart is the way it represents the lyrical themes so well. It doesn’t force any emotion upon the listener, and rather accurately represents the acceptance CAS portrays in his lyrics: he understands that his life isn’t what he wants it to be, and now he’s just trying to figure out where to go next.