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Daniel Caesar Struggles to Find His Footing on 'CASE STUDY 01'

It’s been an interesting year for Canadian R&B star Daniel Caesar , one that has been riddled with more controversy than actual music-making. First there was the moment he was called “very gay” by legendary comedian (and very stoned) Dave Chappelle while the two were guests on John Mayer’s Current Mood show. The pair’s subsequent argument, recorded live on Instagram , was a cringe thing to sit through. Then there were his comments supporting divisive industry insider YesJulz, an influencer who has spurned outrage due to her ‘blaccent’ , in addition to being seen in T-shirts that have the N-word written on them. Caesar passionately defended her but was later forced to apologize after calling black people “too sensitive” and insinuating that a victim mentality prevents many of them from making money.

It would be a stretch to assume this hasn't flattened the buzz around his second studio album, CASE STUDY 01 , which arrives with a more of a whimper than a bang — a real shame given how brilliant his 2017 debut Freudian , an intricate soul record that found the beauty in both falling in and out of love, remains. Yet in the fickle world of music, artists can get away with saying just about anything so long as the songs are good; something the talented Caesar will be acutely aware of.

It's fair to say this isn’t a record that will blow you away enough to consider forgetting Caesar’s recent spate of problematic behavior. The first half of CASE STUDY 01 is wildly inventive, filled with sexy slow jams and funky introspection, but the second half is indulgent verging on the pretentious, and proof Caesar is still far from the finished product.

The creative way Caesar switches from a high to low falsetto on the funky “ENTROPY” is a reminder of his boundless vocal talent. Meanwhile, Brandy duet "LOVE AGAIN" will take you right back to the slow jams of the '90s. The pair’s chemistry is really fun to sit through, and it's destined to become a hit single. “FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK” (on which Pharrell provides backing vocals) is a sizzling slice of summer, and the synths that kick in will give you that same transcendent feeling of hearing Kool & the Gang’s “Summer Madness” on a deckchair in August. The track is also the closest Caesar comes to underdog relatability on the project, as he croons: “Used to steal all my groceries/ now I get to the racks.”

I say this because there’s a misogynist tone to a lot of the other lyrics here, with Caesar unconvincingly playing the role of the gangster heartbreaker. Lyrics such as “It's you baby girl I'm trying to breed/ I'm not a monster/ I'm just a man with needs” on "CYANIDE" border on chauvinism. It’s weird hearing a singer who was once so empathetic to women suddenly sounding so dismissive of them — it’s almost as if he’s doing absolutely everything he can to convince Chappelle that he’s straight, with a lot of the sex talk here, which includes making love to a woman on a piano (“OPEN UP”), feeling clichéd at best, reminiscent of even more unsavory hallmarks of the genre at worst.

The second half of the album takes on a much more experimental, psychedelic tone, but Caesar is at his best when he’s having fun and not overthinking it, with a lot of these latter tracks sounding like a discount store version of far edgier artists such as Moses Sumney and Frank Ocean. “SUPERPOSITION” is incredibly indulgent, with its attempts at being philosophical (at one point, Caesar, without a hint of irony, sings the lyrics: “Life's all about contradiction/ Yin and yang/ Fluidity and things") sounding like it was inspired by the inside of a fortune cookie. The minimalist guitar of "RESTORE THE FEELING" also isn’t nearly as interesting as Caesar clearly thinks it is, with the song feeling muddled and undercooked.

Perhaps the most telling track on the album is “COMPLEXITIES,” a drugged out diary entry that sounds more like a demo than anything fully formed. Descending into hopelessness, Caesar sings: “I don’t give a damn because it doesn’t make a difference” - bars that inevitably provide an insight into his current world view. If Caesar starts to offer more by album number three, he could yet consolidate his obvious talent into something enduring, but if it’s another record created just for the sake of it, then many of the people who once believed in Caesar might feel like it’s time to move on.

There’s nothing truly terrible here, but - beyond Brandy rolling back the years - there’s nothing that will make you reach for the replay button either. It’s okay, but after the year Caesar has had, okay just won’t do.

Listen to Daniel Caesar's 'CASE STUDY 01' here . For more of our album reviews, head here .

Daniel Caesar Throws Humility Out Of The Window On ‘Case Study 01’

Daniel Caesar is bold now. The biggest indicator of his musical shift from “gee whiz” wunderkind to self-mythologizing manspreader is the cover of his latest self released project, Case Study 01 . In keeping with the Psychology 101 theme of his previous album, Freudian , Case Study borrows a practical term, but the differences are as stark as the photography gracing each album’s art.

Where Freudian is a long shot, framing Caesar as a figure in the distance climbing some inscrutable obelisk, Case Study is a close-up shot in silhouette, towering, larger-than-life. But the biggest change is the placement — and size — of the Parental Advisory label. On Freudian ’s cover it’s almost an afterthought, an “oh yeah, I may talk about some sex and cuss and stuff.” On Case Study , the message is clear: Daniel Caesar f*cks and all that humility stuff has gone out the window.

The new stance is even evidenced by the first few seconds of album opener “Entropy.” The first voice on Case Study is not Caesar’s, but J. Robert Oppenheimer’s words from an infamous interview referencing Hindu scripture about the decision to drop the first atomic bomb. As Oppenheimer reviews Hindu god Vishnu’s ability to take on a more-impressive, many-armed form, it’s hard not to notice Caesar doing the same thing from the outset; his versatility and eclecticism are well-documented, but now it’s time for him to flex.

This is a far cry from his prior projects, on which he presented an almost shy, tender demeanor. While Freudian had its brash moments, such as the suggestive come-ons of breakout hit “Get You,” for the most part, that previous effort was like high school reckoning of what “making love” must be like in the journal of a quiet, disconnected kid — an observer, not someone in the thick of things. It was first girlfriend stuff, the dreamy sense that moments could last forever, almost nostalgic in a way.

Then Caesar went through something of a rough year. After being nominated for numerous awards for Freudian , including multiple Grammy nominations (he won Best R&B Performance earlier this year for “Best Part” with similarly noir-ish singer H.E.R.), he found himself getting repeatedly kicked in the pants throughout the early half of 2019. Meeting idol Dave Chappelle on John Mayer’s Instagram Live “show,” he had to confront criticisms of his sound in real time before an audience. Initially standoffish, he seemed to sublimate a half-dozen counter arguments in favor of keeping the peace — a stance which he would later expand on during his own livestream with fans to disastrous effect.

By now, it’s entirely possible more casual music listeners have heard of Caesar as a result of the controversy surrounding his statements — which echoed similar statements made by rapper Kanye West and political commentator Candace Owens — calling Black people “sensitive” and parroting the age-old directive to “move on” as if it were some brilliant epiphany. After social media lit into him, he made his apologies — but the damage was done.

If Case Study was meant to function as a kind of supplementary mea culpa for his out-of-pocket observations, it’d be a bad one. It’s still peppered with the sort of plantation talk that Kanye doubled down on when he was getting dragged for the same reason, which isn’t a good look for Caesar (who even imitated Kanye’s heel turn right down to the hair dye job). Those prickly moments detract from an album that should have been hailed as a triumphant improvement over his previous work.

Where Freudian dreamily contemplated thorny subjects like the intersection of religion and sexuality, Case Study gets happily lost in the weeds in the best way. This time around, he tackles those subjects with swaggering aplomb, expanding his sonic palette along the way. The highlight is “Love Again,” featuring ‘90s chanteuse Brandy, a charmingly old-school duet that finds the pair challenging the gender stereotypes that cause friction throughout many relationships.

“Frontal Lobe Muzik,” featuring Pharrell, brings a sense of fun and frolic to the normally self-serious Daniel Caesar proceedings, while the dense “Superposition” makes use of John Mayer’s expressive guitar work to evoke the sort of song that would have fit comfortably on Mayer’s 2006 album Continuum . “Restore The Feeling” is a cocky summation of Caesar’s transformation, a surefire hip swiveler. Where the centerpieces on Freudian featured gooey, romantic navel-gazing, “Restore The Feeling” features a sizzling greased-griddle verse from Canadian rapper Sean Leon that re-casts “Daniel Caesar, soul man” as “Danny Caesar, the local superstar.” It’s easy to imagine that guy in the strip club on a Tuesday, no longer falling in love with the dancers as he did on 2019 loose single “Who Hurt U?”

Even with Caesar’s newfound physicality, Case Study is still a thoughtful, beautiful-sounding album. If nothing else, it proves he’s still a smart, intriguing songwriter who could wring twice as much romance out of a couplet as any of his contemporaries. But there’s also a sense that maybe he’s trying a little too hard here as well. The tough-guy talk on “Cyanide” is a bit much, and the vague suggestions of hard living on “Entropy” are unconvincing. Besides, we don’t come to Daniel Caesar for faux-patois and (snicker) Canadian roadman jive — that’s what Drake is for. We like Danny C because at the root of everything, there’s a sensitive kid who observes and listens, who reflects the quiet thoughts we all have but can’t always share. He just has to remember to think them all the way through before he opens his mouth, and prove he’s thinking with his head and not other body parts.

Case Study 01 is out now via Golden Child Recordings. Get it here .

Daniel Caesar Is a Contemplative Horndog on ‘Case Study 01’

By Danny Schwartz

Danny Schwartz

At some point in the middle of this decade, the brooding, atmospheric, synthetic R&B pioneered by Toronto artists like Drake and The Weeknd reached a saturation point. One artist who helped break this Canadian fever was Daniel Caesar. His 2017 debut album, Freudian, was a breath of fresh air , a blend of stripped-down acoustic guitar, choral gospel hums and Caesar’s sheepish voice. He attempted to inhabit and observe the undulations of his love life and tastefully integrated various religious references that had stayed with him since he left the church as a teenager.

Caesar’s new album comes with a sanitized name, Case Study 01 , but it is far from the sanctified equilibrium of Freudian , even though it follows the same structure—10 tracks, 43-44 minutes. The most pronounced difference is the fact that Caesar has become significantly hornier since Freudian . “ Been sniffing around all over the town / I just can’t stop settling down,” he sings on opening track “Entropy.” Later, on “Open Up,” he brags about having sex on his piano. He’s even horny for the music itself: on “Cyanide,” he adopts a thick patois and supplicates himself to the goddess of song: “Sweet melody, wind up your body ‘pon me.”

He spends much of the Case Study  grappling with the mercurial success of Freudian , which earned three Grammy nominations. Success has seemingly sparked not only unexpected bursts of sexual energy (“Never got pussy acting like a pussy”), but ruminations about his past (“Used to steal all my groceries and now I get to the racks.”) Still, for the most part, he is occupied with the present, exploring the void that exists between two people and evoking a sense of negative space through spare arrangements and slow tempos rarely exceeding a brisk walk.

Case Study  benefits from a wealth of strong features: a vintage turn from Brandy, dense harmonies from internet-jazz prodigy Jacob Collier, tender, unobtrusive guitar from John Mayer, and delightfully gauzy synths from Pharrell. Caesar lets himself down with half-assed relationship insights, like on “Superposition,” when he muses, “Life’s all about contradiction / Yin and yang / Fluidity and things.” Case Study has gorgeous moments, but it lacks the overall clarity and focus of Freudian ; it is muddled from the very beginning, by its sample of Robert Oppenheimer’s famous Bhagavad-Gita invocation, “I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” These grand, empty kind of gestures, as well as expressions of his greatly enhanced libido, don’t play to Caesar’s strengths. He resonates most when he’s attempting to make sense of the liminal emotional space where one person ends and another begins.

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Daniel Caesar, Case Study 01 | Album Review 💿

Published by the musical hype on july 3, 2019 july 3, 2019.

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 .

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.

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the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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Daniel Caesar – Case Study 01

• July 1, 2019

Vicky Inoyo

At his debut at 24, R&B artist Daniel Caesar already had a stacked resume. His first album Freudian released in 2017 is now certified gold and includes collaborations with H.E.R , Syd , and Kali Uchis . Freudian also won R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in 2018 and his hit song “Best Part” with H.E.R scored Daniel Caesar a Grammy this year for the Best R&B Performance. Diving deeper into understanding him as an artist, Caesar has been transparent about being inspired by multiple music legends. The young Canadian artist has been recognized to draw inspiration from Frank Ocean , The Doors , Kanye West , and Beyonce . His soul and gospel background also helps us to understand why his angelic vocals, when paired with such intimate lyrics, makes him one of the most popular R&B singers and songwriters today. 

Just last week, Daniel informed fans through Instagram that he will be dropping his sophomore album. The time has now come for Case Study 01 .

The 10 track album kicks off with “ENTROPY”, a song where Daniel showcases his wide range of vocals over smooth guitar sounds and melodious chords. On this track, Daniel admits how his thought process about him as a person has transformed throughout his lifetime. Hence the following verse:

So maybe my ego's out of control

Can that be avoided? I don't know?

I hated myself when I was a boy

Now that I don't, they tryna take my joy

Nevertheless, Daniel explores various thought processes on this song which is very fitting considering the word entropy is defined as a l ack of order or predictability.

It wouldn't be a Daniel Caesar album without a few love songs. On the second track, “CYANIDE”, the artist takes intimacy to a whole new level. Not only does Daniel express his attraction to his alluring lover in detail, but, he also hits such high vocals igniting chills when one hears the song for the first time. Daniel Caesar’s sensual lyrics accompanied by a sweet melody and heavenly harmonies in the background make “CYANIDE’ a standout.

You give me your love, it's unrequited

The thought of you gets me excited

I guess I'll come to your crib, uninvited

A few of your favorite vices, girl I know you like it

Girl, you came through like ( Lightning )

You light up my life, you’re like ( Lig htning)

Danny be good? That's ( Unlikely, likely )

Immediately after, the artist hits us with another romantic track titled “Love Again” that mirrors the vibes we loved on Daniel Caesar’s first album Freudian . And as if the throwback couldn't get any better, the classic R&B singer Brandy has joined Daniel Caesar on this love song. Contrary to the explicitly sensual lyrics on “CYANIDE”, Brandy and Caesar address the hardships that come with being in love on this track.

I wake from my slumber 

I wish I could call you up

Miss how’d you put your love on me 

Boy you’ve got my number 

Wish I could feel your touch 

Wish you could follow up on me

“LOVE AGAIN” puts words to all the emotions we feel when we just can't seem to let go of someone we were once so deeply in love with, even if that special someone has moved on.

FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK

Now, if you are someone who is just confused when it comes to love, Daniel has made a track for you as well and this time it’s with Pharrell Williams . Their song “FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK” explores how strong the power of being in love can be to where it creates contradicting emotions for some of us. 

[Chorus: Pharrell Williams]

You know how I feel

I'm in love with you still, yeah

It helps, but it kills

Your lovin', your lovin'

It hurts, it heals

It breaks but it builds, ooh, yeah

Your power and your will

Your lovin', that's your lovin'

[Verse 2: Daniel Caesar]

Wanna feel it, something I can feel

I know the things that I been feelin', they ain't real

Look, my whole life they been beggin' me to chill

Got it weighin' on my conscience just a lil'

I wanna venture into the unknown

Never got sh*t poppin' layin' 'round at home

Never got no p*ssy actin like a p*ssy

Let my nuts hang, God damn, look where that sh*t took me

On this song, Daniel Caesar also explores moments in his life before he gained so much popularity in the music industry. Additionally, Pharell gives us insight into the juxtaposition that exists within his romantic relationships. Ultimately, “FRONTAL LOBE MUZIK” expands on all of the feelings that come with being in love, going through a heartbreak, and achieving celebrity status. 

• TOO DEEP TO TURN BACK

As the album progresses, a few songs take a depressing yet surprisingly relatable turn. Caesar’s song “TOO DEEP TO TURN BACK” is also a guitar driven track produced by Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett that is sprinkled with high bells to create a comforting sound to the ear. Additionally, later in the song comes haunting back vocals matched with light drums beats. Daniel’s lyrics during this song addresses the pressures that come with wanting to achieve greatness. The artist infuses his gospel background into his lyrics as he describes the challenges he has faced in life as well as overcoming such obstacles.

Good God, Jehovah, what's this I see?

My mortality's staring back at me

Niggas think I'm scared

Niggas think I'm a bitch

But I ain't come prepared and I ain't know what this is

I've slept like Jacob, a rock for a pillow

Run swift like Elijah, away from the middle

Seen the world, overindulged maybe a little

But now your boy's up, and I'm fit as a fiddle

• ARE YOU OK?

The dynamic album ends with the 6-minute song “ARE YOU OK?” that takes listeners on a journey through Daniel’s thoughts on a break-up. The track first confronts the “happy mask” one puts on for society even though they may be battling several negative emotions on the inside. Daniel then takes on the perspective of that one person who can see through your mask and knows you are not doing your best. “ARE YOU OK?” also addresses the perspective of people that believe you are doing great for yourself despite your true emotions, hence the lyrics “Me and my n*ggas getting paper. Highly blessed and highly favored. We ain't asking for no favors.” The song takes a pause at 4 minutes and then picks back up with Daniels bone-chilling vocals and lyrics that seem to be an apology letter to an old lover. In hindsight, “ARE YOU OK?” is a song full of soul-stirring melodies that explores several feelings that come with relationships, thus making this track ultimately therapeutic.

Daniel Caesar has announced his Case Study 01 Tour that will be touching down in the United States, Canada, and Asia starting in July.

Connect with Daniel Caesar: Soundcloud | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

Related Topics

• Case Study 01
• Daniel Caesar
• Pharell Williams

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Case Study 01 — Album Review

A look at daniel caesar’s second studio album.

Josh Herring

Modern Music Analysis

After being “cancelled” by mainstream consumers after a drunken IG live , many missed out on a classic R&B album. Even after demanding to be cancelled (and succeeding by most standards), Daniel Caesar went out and created an amazing album which didn’t receive the love it deserves — ultimately, due to the timing of its release. However, if you find the fallacy of “cancel culture” redundant, then you will find this album to be a true masterpiece. Otherwise, look the other way.

This album feels like classic Daniel Caesar: beautiful singing ability backed by underrated lyricism with an emphasis on love and the human connection. With features from Brandy, Sean Leon, John Mayer, and Pharrell, the production of this album is very cohesive. The largest emphasis is Caesar’s singing ability, as it is not drowned out by the backing music or surrounding artists and the multifaceted meaning behind the highlighted songs. This is album I’ll be dancing to, while my grandkids look on in bewilderment, talking about, “What y’all know ‘bout this right here!?”

From the opening seconds, the theme of religion is apparent as a distorted voice speaks on the Hindu religious figure, Vishnu. Specifically the following line of scripture:

“ […] and, to impress him …

Written by Josh Herring

Album reviews and speculative fiction | Subscribe to my substack: https://joshherring.substack.com/

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Daniel Caesar CASE STUDY 01

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His soul and gospel background also helps us to understand why his angelic vocals, when paired with such intimate lyrics, makes him one of the most popular R&B singers and songwriters today.

It's a solid effort by an artist who is, more or less, still a rookie, attempting to diversify his sound early on in order to avoid cementing himself into gospel music for the entirety of his career.

While there are flashes of wisdom on Case Study 01 , there are also a handful of clunky moments when Caesar’s out of his depth.

Case Study has gorgeous moments, but it lacks the overall clarity and focus of Freudian ; it is muddled from the very beginning.

One of Freudian 's biggest strengths is the way it creates a vibe and keeps it up throughout. That carries through here to an extent, but the album feels less cohesive as he stretches out.

There’s nothing truly terrible here, but – beyond Brandy rolling back the years – there’s nothing that will make you reach for the replay button either.

Case Study 01 sounds much less polished and labored over than Freudian —perhaps in an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle—but, more often than not, the results are less than electric.

Popular User Reviews

10 People / 100 Albums Challenge: Friendship Is Agony

Subject 05: Jaye (08/10)

damn, really took a while to get to this one, huh?

Yeah, this one is boring. I get the appeal of it, its nice to the ears, its nothing thats gonna annoy you or anything, but honestly, I feel like that is part of the problem, as these songs for the most part just fade away into white noise for me. It feels like the album is trying to be the next 'Blond' or something, but instead just falls flat on its face nearly ... read more

There's nothing terrible on here, but I was so bored by the end

This second Daniel Caesar album, I was looking forward to it. The Canadian has charmed the world with his successful debut album, "Freudian", in 2017, whose sweet "Best Part", with singer H.E.R, earned him the Grammy for best R&B performance in 2019. Without surprise, "CASE STUDY 01" is a decent album. The delicate Canadian crooner dissects his moods once again, thus offering us great moments of grace, despite a vague boredom and his writing is sometimes ... read more

Recent User Reviews

Very few highlights sadly, especially in comparison to Freudian.

Favourite Track: CYANIDE Least Favourite Track: RESTORE THE FEELING

I don't think any song here is bad. It's just that there's nothing memorable here either

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CASE STUDY 01

• Record Label: Golden Child Recordings
• Release Date: Jun 28, 2019

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Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

Universal acclaim - based on 19 Ratings

• Summary: The second full-length release for the Canadian R&B artist features guest appearances from Brandy, Jacob Collier, Sean Leon, John Mayer, and Pharrell Williams.

• Genre(s): R&B
• More Details and Credits »

• Positive: 2 out of 5
• Mixed: 3 out of 5
• Negative: 0 out of 5
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