Bianca Casady & the C.i.A.
Oscar Hocks
Reviewed by: Adelie Salagnac
“If God and the devil are the same, then who is your daddy now?” Bianca Casady sings this line in “Poor Deal”. Starting her solo career with Oscar Hocks, Casady embraces her dark side and delivers an esoteric and macabre, almost supernatural, record. Some of you may be familiar with her eccentric figure, through the duo CocoRosie, the nu-folk band created a while ago with her sister Sierra. With Oscar Hocks, Casady embarks on her solo project, fearlessly showcasing her own darker personality.
Pushing boundaries, Oscar Hocks is an interesting piece of work, to say the least. Bianca Casady & The C.i.A. produce alluring beats combined to unusual and compelling voices and sounds, creating freaky associations of electronic sounds, classical melodies, odd instruments and eerie vocals. From the song “Hay Lofts” to “Roadkill”, Bianca Casady & The C.i.A. covers a wide range of styles and genres, and embarks the listeners on a strange and odd quest through the bold singer’s fantasy realm, a spooky twisted Wonderland.
Oscar Hocks leaves no doubt about Casady’s unique talent. Poet, photographer, performer, singer, musician and lover of life, this unconventional multi-faceted artist proves once again her bizarre but certain skills with this solo LP.
Sometimes odd and strangely written, sometimes poetic and well thought-through, Oscar Hocks is one of those albums that can’t quite fall into a specific category or genre – the kind of album that can either move someone, or, at the contrary make them completely lose track of it all. It provides, however, an interesting and unique point of view, addressing contemporary issues such as genders, religions, or taboos, and leaves you with a baffling feeling of melancholia and oddity.
Rating: Listenable
