Casablanca Drivers: Protocol
- Rebecca Tregaskis
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
by Rebecca Tregasksis
Casablanca Drivers’ new album Protocol drops this Friday and it embraces a dancefloor-driven sound. It marks the band’s third self-produced album, and their second under prestigious Mexican Independent label Arts and Crafts México. Originally from Corsica, now settled in Paris, Casablanca Drivers blur dance rhythms with indie rock to curate a sleek electronic sound.
The indie electronic band recruited producer NIT (Sebastien Teller, Cola Boy), alongside Mix engineer Ash Workman (Metronomy, Baxter Dury), to help focus their sound. Bringing the image and aesthetic of the album to life is Alex Courtes, whose designs for French House musicians put him on the map, working with the likes of Cassius, Daft Punk and Air. Collectively, Protocol was made.
Their album rollout started last October with the release of Easy, an energetic track with a pulsating base. This along with their other subsequent singles Plastic, Garage and X-Ray set the tone for the album – dancefloor-ready beats, garage guitars and baselines to pull in both the clubbers and punks.
Protocol is an immersive experience and its opening track Lazy proves this. The released singles give us the high energy of the album but Lazy offers the listener a less instant introduction. With echoing vocals that are shouting into a vast sonic landscape, the track envelopes you before electronic beats take over, picking up the buzz that is heard across the album.
While the record uses the same formula for its songs there is a unique result each time. Retro beats dipped in nostalgia are heard in tracks such as X-Ray and Going to the Hamptons. While more electronic focused synths are in Cube, Easy and Plastic. Garage is a particularly strong track, encompassing the sound of Casablanca Driver’s wholeheartedly, with jagged guitars textured over a modern techno feel, the genre blend is in total harmony.
The album also features tracks that have a more vocal centred approach. Feeling Good is a highlight here. With conversational lyricism, monotone vocals and synths that take a backseat there is a closeness achieved. Tracks like Cube feature muffled vocals and centre stage rhythms resulting in a distance between vocalist and listener. Feeling Good erases this space, adding a stripped back note to the pumped up album. Sorry also takes a similar approach, with vocals playing a leading role.
The highlight track though has got to be Fears. A dreamy textured production, it feels like the end of the night - where the club is winding down and your feet are moving to a dulling beat. Light vocals over a rhythmic beat that falls in and out of focus along with lyrics of acceptance executed an introspective glossy finish to the album. This closure is a fitting end and adds a level of depth to the club-centred approach.
Protocol is a record that feels more expansive than anything they’ve done before. A natural evolution from their previous work Super Adventure Club and Tabloid. Protocol is a polished, electronic-learning sound where immersive atmospheres take hold. Currently on tour, Casablanca Drivers are bringing this atmosphere to the stage, translating Protocol’s energy into a live experience.
Check out Protocol when it's released this Friday, 22/4.
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