Daniel Caesar, Case Study 01 | Album Review 💿

Fresh off of his first Grammy win, Canadian R&B standout Daniel Caesar delivers a strong follow-up to his debut album (‘Freudian’) with ‘Case Study 01.’

R&B music has hit it fair share of “bumps in the road” over the years, cooling down tremendously over the years.  Regardless, the genre has still managed to have its fair share of bright spots, including Grammy-winning, Canadian standout, Daniel Caesar.  Caesar delivered one of the very best albums, regardless of genre, with his debut LP, Freudian in 2017. Freudian blended themes of love and spirituality superbly.  Since then, the artist has had some missteps, not musically mind you, but socially and culturally.  Focusing on solely on the music, his highly-anticipated follow-up, Case Study 01, continues the excellence, while bringing in some talented collaborators: Brandy, Pharrell Williams, Sean Leon, Jacob Collier, and John Mayer.

“Entropy”

It’s not every album that features a song that references physics, particular a R&B album. Standout ✓
“Entropy” earns that distinction, and Daniel Caesar actually says the word on the chorus of the song:

“Oh, how can this be? I finally found peace
Just how long ‘til she’s stripped from me?
So, come on, baby, in time we’ll all freeze
Ain’t no stoppin’ that entropy.”

Sure, the concept of entropy itself can get technical, but in broad terms, it boils down to “chaos, disorganization, randomness”; a lack of order or predictability.  Within the soulful song, Caesar highlights the unpredictability of life and love. He even manages to fuse science and spirituality on the outro: “Drifting towards the deep freeze / Thermodynamics, there’s no escape / The good Lord he gives, the Lord he takes / No life without energy.”  

The love-centric ✓ “Cyanide” keeps Case Study 01 an intriguing listening experience.  The production remains soulful, benefiting from an old-school Tommy James and the Shondells sample (“Candy Maker”).  Also, keeping things fresh, are guest vocals by Toronto rapper Kardinal Offishall, which brings a cool Jamaican element into the picture. As if the first two songs weren’t great in their own right, Brandy joins Caesar for the terrific duet, ✓ “Love Again.” The relationship has ended, yet both seem to be willing to find reconciliation.  Both offer their perspective on where things fell short, offering up a seemingly simple solution: “If you can take my hand / I promise we’ll find love again.”

“Frontal Lobe Muzik”

If “Love Again” was kinder, gentler Daniel Caesar, than he toughens up his sound on “Frontal Lobe Muzik” featuring Pharrell Williams.  Williams sings on the love-centric chorus, while The Neptunes handle production duties.  No, Caesar doesn’t go extremely left of center, but as he did throughout Freudian, he is more profane, uses more slang, and embraces a more ‘street smart’ sensibility.  He still retains an approach idiomatic of R&B, even if it dips into hip-hop without crossing any lines.

✓ “Open Up” is the gospel-tinged slow-jam that R&B lovers definitely need in their lives. That said, there’s nothing ‘spiritual’ about “Open Up,” which finds Caesar being overtly sexual yet also emotionally invested – “The piano that I fuck you on / Same one that on which I write these songs for you.” The big thing he desires from her is to “…Open up to me, girl / Let me plant my seed, girl / Let me fill your needs, girl.”

“Restore the Feeling” 

“Restore the Feeling” brings Sean Leon and Jacob Collier into the mix.  Caesar sings the first verse himself, while Collier joins him on the memorable chorus, adding some smooth harmonies.  Leon sings and raps the second verse, providing a clear contrast to Caesar. The best moment of “Restore the Feeling” is arguably the outro, which expands upon Collier’s awesome contributions.  This is a good song, but arguably, it could use just a slight bit more finesse to make it truly great.

Physics once more enters the mix on ✓ “Superposition” featuring John Mayer.  True to the title, Caesar bases the record itself on the idea/theory of superposition.  It begins from the start, where he sings on the first verse, “Isn’t it an irony? / The things that inspire me / they make me bleed / so profusely.” On the chorus, much like “Entropy,” he directly references superposition:

“Exist in superposition
Life’s all about contradiction
Yin and yang
Fluidity and things
I’m me, I’m God
I’m everything
I’m my own reason why I sing
And so are you, are you understanding?”

The second verse is quite deep, highlighted by the lyric, “If I should die before I wake / Oh, please do not resuscitate / I know I didn’t live my life in vain / This music shit’s a piece of cake / The rest of my life’s in a state of chaos…”

“Too Deep to Turn Back”

“So, what’s the price / We’re like mosquitos to light, in a sense / I feed off bioluminescence…” Case Study 01 continues to be complex, yet rewarding project, further evidenced by the lovely “Too Deep to Turn Back.”  If it hasn’t been highlighted, Daniel Caesar sounds fantastic, never needing to ‘break a sweat’ to pack a punch.  Here, religion plays a significant role, specifically on the chorus, which features vocals by Arianna Reid, as well as the fourth verse (“I’ve slept like Jacob, a rock for a pillow / Run swift like Elijah, away from the middle”).    

Two more songs grace Case Study 001. “Complexities” possesses a lovely backdrop by all means, even if the song itself isn’t as cutting edge or as intriguing as the best of the album. “Are You Ok?” closes equally lovely, featuring more introspection from Caesar that has characterized the album as a whole.  An instrumental break signals a change of pace, one that finds Caesar addressing ‘Emily’ a couple of times (“Sweet Emily, my bride to be / Struggle with me, if I’d entropy…”) At six-and-a-half minutes it is a bit demanding, but also rewarding in many respects.

Final Thoughts

So, earlier, we said that Freudian was one of the best albums released regardless of genre in 2017.  The same can be said of Case Study 01, which gives R&B lovers another reason to have faith in the genre.  Furthermore, this particular project gives all music lovers a truly creative and well-rounded album, one with many memorable moments. One thing is for sure – Daniel Caesar is a truly special, truly talented musician. You can argue that the end of the album isn’t quite as punchy as the beginning, but all in all, Case Study 01 has its fair share of excellence.

✓ Gems: “Entropy,” “Cyanide,” “Love Again,” “Open Up” & “Superposition”  

Daniel Caesar • Case Study 01 • Golden Child Recordings • Release: 6.28.19

Photo Credit: Golden Child Recordings