Ino Casablanca’s EXTASIAAAAA builds on his signature sound

By Théodore Papin

EXTASIAAAAA is a double extended album and reissue from Ino Casablanca’s third project released last year named EXTASIA. The French-Moroccan rapper and RnB singer released this project on 23 of October. It completes the sound of last year’s project with the same various inspiration coming from French, American and Spanish music from genres like rap, RnB, electro, rave or kompa but also from North Africa like raï or Moroccan Chaabi. This mix of genres and the use of a lot of real instruments is what makes Ino Casablanca’s music stand out.

EXTASIAAAAA brings us further into this mix with pleasant surprises in every tracks. Casablanca starts the project with 10 new songs on disc 1 and finishes with the second disc presenting the songs already released on EXTASIA. From the start we get into a mix of electro and raï like FREE CHEBA WARDA a reference to Algeria’s raï superstar’s followed by PANAFRI and BUENA ONDA. Then we hear the Caribbean influences on LÉ TAL, LESSTOMBÉ and KITLÉ from last project. Another change with lots of rhythm and fast percussion on CPASCOMMEÇABB  and then a bit of funk on BBY MAMA. He also uses a lot of chorus with various vocals and adds new collaborations with Supremnova and Naika while he already collaborated with LinLin and Draganov. The sounds are very diverse but really goes well together.

Ino Casablanca is transporting us in this project throughout his many inspirations. In his lyrics, Ino Casablanca speaks mostly about love but also about how his life changed with his recent success, his life, and a few social commentaries. His sweet and calm voice contrasts with more direct lyrics and glides over the colorful instrumentals. This project is full of colors and different sounds and mostly makes you dance but also think on a few songs like EXTASIAAAAA or MOULA SOLITUDE. It completes EXTASIA without adding too much; it keeps a great balance in the record with new really interesting songs. Ino Casablanca proves that he is a really complete artist with his own sound. If you are interested in more of his work, you could check out the YouYube video Nos coeurs sur la main on the channel Grünt.