Kassa Overall’s talents have led him to release what is hands down his cost complete album to date. The Seattle-born and raised drummer, producer, rapper and bandleader has released some great music in the past too, including the exceptional 2020 album I THINK I’M GOOD. Always trying to push boundaries of mood shaping in jazz music. While this album takes more from contemporary hip-hop and R&B influences, his new album ANIMALS takes his creativity to new heights, with free-jazz influences sprinkled everywhere, dark yet luminous instrumentals, and vast contributions that make this a collaborative work of art.

After the intro “Anxious Anthony” featuring Anthony Ware, the album bursts into life with an incredible piano-led piece, with thumping drums and groovy bass. Kassa Overall’s presence here is fascinating too, with vocal pitching and a dominant voice that floats over the chopped beat. It’s an infectious opener, and just a taste of what’s to come. “Clock Ticking” featuring Danny Brown and Wiki is an early highlight, with the pummelling drums and bass, jumpy piano keys, and both emcees rhyming effortlessly. Danny’s verse especially fits perfectly with the eerie beat. It’s got a memorable refrain, with additional synths and basslines adding a layer to the track. “Still Ain’t Find Me” featuring Tomoki Sanders, Benji Allonce, Mike King and Ian Finklestein is a chaotic free jazz epic, with cacophonous and tribal drumming, incredible synths and vocal effects sprinkled throughout. It’s high energy all right. “Make My Way Back Home” featuring Nick Hakim and Theo Croker is a smoother, more melodic cut, with Kassa Overall rapping about his mental health in a strikingly potent manner, with both features contributing their talents beautifully throughout. The chorus is animated and beautiful as well. “The Lava Is Calm” featuring Theo Croker is another smooth and melodic cut, with a bossa nova groove and Kassa Overall’s monotonous singing gracing the moody and emotive track, only to burst to life with screaming guitars and intense drumming and bassline, only to revert to the previous gentle melody, leaving the final 20 seconds to briefly burst into life again. “No It Ain’t” featuring Andrae Murchison has an upbeat, jazzy groove, with trombones and other brass instrumentation giving this a warm, embracing feeling. A short interlude that leads into “So Happy” with Laura Mvula and pop production project Francis & the Lights starts with an upbeat and catchy drum-led groove, with Laura, and floats within these strings, and groovy, eclectic production. “It’s Animals” is a short, jazzy instrumental sampling dialogue, with striking keys, and that leads into “Maybe We Can Stay” featuring J.Hoard, with the same piano-driven melody, Kassa’s intriguing and introspective poetry, and dynamic changes in arrangements that make this a jittery yet rhythmic cut on the album. It ends by floating into space with its incredible atmospheric synths. “The Score Was Made” featuring Vijay Iyer is another excellent track, perfectly capturing his ability to create dark, moody and reflective soundscapes within his music, with the piano melodies throughout being what captures the intensity of it all. The jittery percussion, with the thumping beat and chimes throughout. “Going Up” featuring Lil B, Shabazz Palaces and Francis & the Lights is an incredibly disorienting closer, in the best possible way. The experimental opener, with the jazzy percussion and bass throughout, the subtle keys, gives way to an emotive and passionate opener, led initially by Francis’ soulful voice, the incredibly smooth instrumental, Lil B’s inspirational raps, with incredibly colourful sound effects throughout, and strings that add an angelic touch. Shabazz Palaces steal the show for me, with an incredible verse that elevate the track to new emotive heights. A stunning closer to an intriguing and experimental jazz album that could potentially go down as one of my favourites of the year!

Kassa Overall has exceeded all expectations with ANIMALS. It’s a ferocious, daring album that is able to bring the best out of everyone involved. He has continuously pushed boundaries with his music, and this being his best to date, it’s so exciting to see and hear where he goes next! Listen to Kassa Overall’s ANIMALS below, released via Warp Records.