While last decade we could talk about a wave linked to the collective and record label PC Music, now we can’t ignore the fact that something is happening in Copenhagen and nearby cities. One of the first names we heard about was Erika de Casier. Her voice, almost whispered, burst onto the music scene with her exceptional Essentials in 2019, blending R&B, quiet storm, and electronic textures. It was quickly followed up by Sensational in 2021 and Still in 2024. And now, she’s back only one year later with Lifetime, her new eleven-track record.
While the album’s first release was on cassette for a lucky few fans, it was available on all digital platforms on May 8th. While Still was more eclectic (for better or worse, depending on who you ask), here there’s complete cohesion. Miss opens the record with Erika’s sultry voice singing about nostalgia, and soon blends like a continuous mix into You Can’t Always Get What You Want. It’s almost impossible not to think of Janet Jackson when listening to the LP, although there’s also room for contemporaries like Madonna, during her Bedtime Stories and Ray of Light eras, or the deeply underrated Laila France.
Seasons bursts forth like a bolt of energy with a trance-driven synth that could easily have ended up in Eartheater’s hands, while You Got It! takes new jack swing and updates it. While the album is sonically impeccable, it perhaps shines brightest when the songs are accompanied by relatable lyrics. In this sense, the sweet December stands out with lines like: “In December / When it turns cool and all is ice / I don't wanna leave / I’d rather be close to you.”
Although the prize undoubtedly goes to Delusional. With horses sounds heard throughout the track and ultra-descriptive lyrics about online love, it is one of the best songs of the artist’s career. The Chase is another of the album’s highlights, where the composer complains about a person who is love bombing her.
The self-titled and reflective Lifetime closes the album, putting the finishing touches on a record that marks a new peak in Erika de Casier’s career as a producer and composer. Although she’s already been approached to write for groups like NewJeans, I’m pretty sure her sound will be sought after and imitated by many. If you don't believe me, just wait and see.