Now into its tenth year and on the cusp of release number 100, Aus Music is delighted to announce a debut album from long time house and techno tastemaker Cassy. Entitled Donna and featuring 12 stunning tracks, it marks a real evolution in the UK artist’s sound and stands alone as a coherent long player made up of very real songs.
Catherine Britton is a celebrated DJ and producer who can work crowds at underground havens like Berghain and Panorama bar. Her productions are inventive, left of centre house and techno affairs that have come on esteemed labels like Perlon, Uzuri and Bass Culture. Cassy also runs her own self titled label, has made an entry into the hallowed fabric mix series and never lives in one place too long. That shows in the wide remit of sonic influences on display in this singular long player offering.
With no real plan other than to make an album as unpretentious and natural as possible, Donna simply reflects the sounds that have enthused and inspired Cassy over the years, but it did’t come easy. “I had broken up with my husband, left Berlin, left my friends and left a way of making music and a way of living life,” she recalls. “It was too painful to make music. I tried singing and it felt awful. I had to look at myself and understand how much I truly disliked myself.
I had to get out of all my unhealthy relationships with people that were a mere reflection of how I felt inside. Music producing was out of the question. It reminded me of who I tried to be for other people.”
Once the album writing process eventually started in earnest after six years of stop start, Cassy found out she was pregnant. Six months of structural experiments ensued with sound engineer and friend Iad Agabekov, as did a relocation to LA and then Philadelphia. It was here the album was finished as Cassy found new inspiration and passion with her new born son
and partner. They, along with friend and “soul brother” King Britt, ”helped me transform the album into a more mature version of me and my music. Into the version I am ready for the world to hear.”
Opening with the downbeat vocal darkness of ‘This Is How We Know’ this album has you immediately enthralled. From there, a deep and moody 
selection of stripped back but emotive cuts range from crisp and kicking to more menacing and troubled. Plenty of vocals lend the whole thing a personal and intimate feel, with the overall mood lovelorn, vulnerable and honest. There is minimal techno, soul infused house and Latin flecked rollers next to creepy slow burners and delightfully freewheeling and melodic disco style cuts.
All in all, Donna makes for a roller coaster ride that is accomplished and unpredictable, and very much proves Cassy has much more than just effective club music up her sleeve.

AUSLP007 Cassy 'Donna'

Longtime tastemaker Cassy has fashioned her craft in the house and techno worlds over the past decade. After a considerable period of time, she announces her debut album on the prestigious Aus Music imprint – but with a sound that may come as a surprise to most.

Titled Donna, the album is built of twelve songs that mark a real evolution in Cassy's sound. Her first ever coherent long player made up of what can only be described as very real songs. A far cry from her peaktime slots at Berghain and Panoramabar, and drawing fewer sonic parallels to her left-of-centre dance music formerly released on Perlon and Uzuri – Donna captures Cassy at her most natural sate. Instead, it simply reflects the inspirations and enthusiasms that Cassy has encountered over the years.

"I had broken up with my husband, left Berlin, my friends and a way of making music and of living life," Cassy explains. “It was too painful to make music. I tried singing and it felt awful. I had to look at myself and understand how much I truly disliked myself. I had to get out of all my unhealthy relationships with people that were a mere reflection of how I felt inside. Music producing was out of the question. It reminded me of who I tried to be for other people.”

After six years of stop-starts, the album writing process eventually started. Six months of structural experiments, two relocations to LA and Philadelphia, and one new born son later – Donna was complete. These helped Cassy transform the album into "a more mature version of me and my music. Into the version I am ready for the world to hear."

The highs and lows of Donna, as well as its fearlessness to express vulnerabilities, are what make it a truly exciting step in the dark for Cassy. Our highlight comes in the more upbeat brightness of "Route to Thonon". A mechanical creepiness is ever present, with many shiny techno elements glaring in and out of the texture. The sheer variety of the album – from its minimal techno moments, to soulful house, to Latin-infused beats, to disco-style cuts – are what make it so enticing as a release. Not to mention the saturated use of vocals, adding to the personal feel which helps narrate Cassy's accomplished and unpredictable journey.

Donna drops on 24 June.

Pre-Order

Cassy "Route To Thonon" - Boiler Room Debuts

The first single to be taken from Cassy's debut album is 'Back' and you can look forward to luscious kicks, vintage keyboard chords and some understated enigmatic vocals.

This is the perfect cut for late nights in Ibiza and we've got the premiere. Check it out below.

More exclusive tracks 

Premiere: Cassy 'Back'

Now into its tenth year and on the cusp of release number 100, Aus Music is delighted to announce a debut album from long time house and techno tastemaker Cassy. Entitled Donna and featuring 12 stunning tracks, it marks a real evolution in the UK artist’s sound and stands alone as a coherent long player made up of very real songs.
Catherine Britton is a celebrated DJ and producer who can work crowds at underground havens like Berghain and Panormabar as much as she can at vast outdoor festivals like Tomorrowland. Her productions are inventive, left of centre house and techno affairs that have come on esteemed labels like Perlon, Uzuri and Bass Culture. Cassy also runs her own self titled label, has made an entry into the hallowed fabric mix series and never lives in one place too long. That shows in the wide remit of sonic influences on display in this singular long player offering.
With no real plan other than to make an album as unpretentious and natural as possible, Donna simply reflects the sounds that have enthused and inspired Cassy over the years, but it did’t come easy. “I had broken up with my husband, left Berlin, left my friends and left a way of making music and a way of living life,” she recalls. “It was too painful to make music. I tried singing and it felt awful. I had to look at myself and understand how much I truly disliked myself.
I had to get out of all my unhealthy relationships with people that were a mere reflection of how I felt inside. Music producing was out of the question. It reminded me of who I tried to be for other people.”
Once the album writing process eventually started in earnest after six years of stop start, Cassy found out she was pregnant. Six months of structural experiments ensued with sound engineer and friend Iad Agabekov, as did a relocation to LA and then Philadelphia. It was here the album was finished as Cassy found new inspiration and passion with her new born son
and partner. They, along with friend and “soul brother” King Britt, ”helped me transform the album into a more mature version of me and my music. Into the version I am ready for the world to hear.”
Opening with the downbeat vocal darkness of ‘This Is How We Know’ this album has you immediately enthralled. From there, a deep and moody selection of stripped back but emotive cuts range from crisp and kicking to more menacing and troubled. Plenty of vocals lend the whole thing a personal and intimate feel, with the overall mood lovelorn, vulnerable and honest. There is minimal techno, soul infused house and Latin flecked rollers next to creepy slow burners and delightfully freewheeling and melodic disco style cuts.
All in all, Donna makes for a roller coaster ride that is accomplished and unpredictable, and very much proves Cassy has much more than just effective club music up her sleeve.


AUSLP007 Cassy 'Donna'

AUSMUSIC