Cassius

Remember Cassius? Well, if not, that’s understandable considering it’s been seven years since they made an impact with their French house offering 1999. Despite scoring international club hits with "Cassius 1999” and "Feeling for You,” the duo released a second album, Au Rêve, to little consideration in 2002, even with a Ghostface collab to flaunt. 15 Again appears to be slipping under the radar as well, what with little to no North American push or press, but it’s certainly undeserving of such neglect. Of course, nothing quite matches the heart-pumping adrenaline of those aforementioned singles, but the French duo of Philippe Zdar and Boom Bass know how to keep up with the trends, and 15 Again copes well in its bid to be different. Single "Toop Toop” moves at a hyper-ska tempo with plenty of little quirks sprinkled throughout as well as the guitar riffs that seem necessary in Parisian house these days. "Rock Number One” slows it down for a pseudo-R&B jam, but doesn’t take long to reveal its party plans in the chorus, that moves at a snail-paced drum & bass speed. Pharrell tries his hand at a collab, but much like his solo album, he turns a promising joint into a failed experiment. "Jackrock,” though, picks up that slack with a progressive tip, extending into a nine-minute tour-de-force that exposes its desire to be a Jack-of-all-trades. There’s plenty of assortment on 15 Again, which will please those looking for more than just loopy house, but with such a wide scope Cassius can wear their strong suits thin. Experimenting is fine and all, but people need to dance, and that’s where these Frenchmen need to realise is where they’re strongest.