After three danceable singles, the French band Casablanca Drivers continues along the same path with the track X-Ray. The single offers another preview of their upcoming album Protocol, which is set for release on April 24. With Protocol, the band sets out to explore a renewed version of their sound. To help shape this direction, they enlisted producer Nit, known for his work with acts such as Metronomy and Baxter Dury.
This new phase is defined by danceable rhythms, garage guitars, and basslines that appeal equally to clubbers and punks, topped with raw vocals. Their electroclash revival draws on a sound that feels both nostalgic and surprisingly modern, with echoes of fellow French acts as well as icons like LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture.
X-Ray evokes the atmosphere of wandering through the night, with a nostalgic feel reminiscent of the late ’80s. The band explains:
“X-Ray feels like a lost late-80s night out in a dead city. With a subtle, retro-futuristic flair, verses are loaded with tension that finally loosen their grip in soft but acid striking choruses. There’s a sensual, leather-like edge to the rhythm section, giving the song a sleek, intimate feel while still making you want to move. It’s the sound of someone dancing on their own, caught between restraint and release, somewhere out of sight.”
The band has also announced that they will play a show in Brussels later this year.
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