Kasablanca – Am I Dreaming?

• Intense groove
• Signature use of retro synths
• Admirable attention to details

Arising out of the varied catalog of Anjunabeats, Kasablanca has become a valued member of the imprint. The duology has a very strong affection for diving into unconventionality without straying entirely into the obscure leftfield. “Am I Dreaming?” is a resonating example of their sonic brilliance that comes in their latest EP.

Bold, analog, and plenty of grit: the composing pair always manage to set a euphoric mood in most of their recordings. Their foray is mainly towards progressive house/techno with an undiluted devotion to the 80s ambient, imparting that futuristic and technological, dystopic soundscape. The vocoder is also a mainstay in their arsenal, humanizing the sentiments. Although they aren’t all about emotions, their creations are taut with tension and packing punches in staggering sequences of drops.

The titular production of the bespoke EP starts on a strong foot with melodic techno playing a post-disco strut. The sound design is resplendent with brassy synths, lustrous riffs, and vocoded vocals. Whether it is the powered bassline or the stabbing leads, the entirety is filled out purposefully with alterations that retain their impact even during the encore that concludes the track. As for the topology of the song, it holds resemblances to what acts like Kx5 or Anyma have shown, even though Kasablanca’s ingenuity is thoroughly distinctive among others.

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to state that “Am I Dreaming?” is a bright indicator that this moniker is stringently stuck to their resolve of incrementing their status.

You can listen to “Am I Dreaming?” here:

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