We admire Casey Louis for being so specific about his inspiration and sonic direction. He wanted to make an album similar to Tame Impala’s ‘Currents’, an endeavour that’s challenging in itself. Yet, the Los Angeles-based producer and songwriter fully achieves his goal, unleashing an album that sounds larger-than-life, detailed, cinematic and just overall hypnotic. The production is especially surprising, carrying a great deal of stereo panorama and psychedelic artefacts.
Such a striking record takes the name of ‘The Secret Joke’, and unlike what its literary meaning suggests, Louis is not playing around. Conceived over the course of three years in his LA bedroom, the album was initially triggered by quite a fragile emotional place, as Casey eloquently explains: “When I moved to LA in 2023, I felt lost. I questioned my identity, the people around me, and what defined me. Love and loss were prominent in my life, and I was inspired to turn all these feelings I was having into my art.”
So he did, penning fourteen wonderful pieces steeped in lyrical authenticity and bold sonic auras. Built on lush texture and witty sound design, the record sounds indeed quite Tame Impala-esque, yet along the way, it picks up a rather personal flair, blending soulful and poppier elements into a playful alternative formula. It’s also packed with aural escapism, which makes for a mesmerising, otherworldly listening experience. Just pay attention to the wide stereo panning…
Recommended! Discover ‘The Secret Joke’ on Spotify:
