With a new single now out, it’s time to catch up on Cassis’ previous single I Killed a Man. The tune shows off the band’s slow groove electro-pop sound, while creating an atmosphere that is both dreamy and a little unnerving.
The song is inspired by the 1903 Darlington picnic tragedy — an event in which a group of French immigrants from Fremantle became involved in a deadly shooting that left a vineyard owner dead. It’s an interesting focal point, and quite the obscure piece of Perth/Boorloo history and folklore. Look it up if you like a bit of local history.
Anyway, enough interesting segues. The music itself draws comparison to French bands like Stereolab, given the French-English vocal stylings of Véronique Ramén. That comparison only goes so far, though, as Cassis play a smoother, groove-centred sound that is a little darker than other art-pop acts.
It’s great to hear music like this coming out of Perth/Boorloo. Like the story behind the song, it reflects the cultural threads that have long been part of the city’s history.