With tears in his eyes ... An album for eternity

There's the thing. And Casper made, that it is good. The expectations grew of "XOXO" in advance, more and more, but not the 28-year-old Benjamin Griffey over his head. His second plate is the result of a long process, were rejected again and again in the ideas, in which he worked with the appropriate people at the right sound. Since hums the hype. The feature and the trade press celebrated Casper as on a birthday party. At the heart of the matter that goes past sometimes. Because "XOXO" is hip-hop and not about swimming the chant in the indie pop. Only there is just no funk and soul as samples. Instruments are placed on top "XOXO" forward, and shoegaze and post-rock are just a spitting distance away.

The back wall of "Alaska" is built up in front of a beat before guitar and drums to be taken by the avalanche. The production adds things together so not only. "XOXO" is a completely unique sound, the Casper has developed in the studio. Silence and Klimax intertwine. "The trick is getting the balance between give and take," it says in "The Grizzly Lied" symbolically. Casper uses for "Up and Away" in How To Dress Well and expands the Chill Wave of Tom Krell a ton shaft. Urgency is always here. Even in the most painful moments like in "Michael X" is because of this pressure, this force is channeled. Perhaps there is little choice but to take refuge in the naive idea from the title track, in order to cope with this world. "We believe in a light that never goes out", Thees Uhlmann sings. He carried the torch already with Tomte in the night. But the thing here is more flexible. The single "So perfect" skin as a thick electric rammer as hook out, and "out for blood" is based on an incredible beat of Dexter. In youthful rebellion plunges "The final destruction of the city" and states: "Dear Anti-all for now and always.."

But between the blazing anger burn the open wounds with every second of "XOXO" more. The own memories, which are reflected in the lyrics - is the Coming Of Age? Maybe a little too late for that. But precisely because so bittersweet. "The Grizzly Song" finds clear words that were Griffeys father him along the way. Whoever comes with Emo around the corner, did not understand it. All lines converge in "control / living" together. All resolutions are broken up again, and the doubt remains. "Perhaps the victory was to just give up." The lyrics are torn apart by the endless possibilities of indecision, the tragedies and the fear. This Casper says more about a whole generation than about themselves. "XOXO" has been with his stunted caress as the title beyond itself. Feelings are degenerated and scorned for shortcuts. But such façades keep the impact of this panel is not enough. Casper breaks the dam and sweep the inside out. And because the true beauty lies.