We caught up with Cassie Raptor during the release of her debut album ‘Predator’. Ascending from the underground to global fame, Cassie Raptor has imprinted an unforgettable mark on the dance music scene with her relentless brand of industrial techno. Having already dropped a series of preview singles, the full 8-track album ‘Predator’ is now ready to captivate the eagerly awaiting community.
Cassie’s ‘Predator’ is heavily influenced by her frequent appearances on the European club circuit, where she commands the scene’s legendary warehouse venues. These immersive environments, where strobe lights cut through the sweat-drenched air and music becomes an almost tangible force, helped Cassie discover her true sound. ‘Predator’ is a sonic odyssey through high BPM beats and industrial soundscapes, embodying her dedication, creativity, and unyielding love for techno.
From the heart of the urban sprawl, where the concrete jungle meets the ruins of forgotten industry, ‘Predator’ by Cassie Raptor emerges. Get ready to be ensnared, to be mesmerized, and to unleash your inner predator.
KALTBLUT: ”Predator” is an album that many have eagerly awaited. What do you want your fans to feel when they experience the entire album for the first time?
I hope they will get to know me better, more intimately, so we can be even closer.
As I don’t talk that much on socials, music is for me a very important language to talk to people. This album is like an introspective journey, and even if there are no vocals, it’s very narrative in the sound. Also, it’s a super personal work, literally 1 year of my life in music – a journey with crescendo energy, dark atmospheres, doubts and strengths.
So, I really hope that this album will be an introspective journey for people too, giving them emotions. That they will be able to adopt the tracks and connect with their own stories, they will also get to know me deeper.
KALTBLUT: You have strong connections to industrial environments. How do these settings influence the sound and mood of your tracks, particularly in your new release?
Indeed, I love industrial places, such as construction sites or warehouses.
From my childhood, I used to spend time on sites under construction with my father working in this industry. Then I spent my time in other concrete style places to party. I like the raw and the dust, I like their smell, how the body feels inside those industrial and concrete made temples, how the sound bounces on the wall to hit the body with percussive kicks and drums, the vocals that echo like in a cathedral… This ambivalence between the size of a huge place that gives you a divine feeling of freedom and the hard industrial techno that hits you to the ground and gives you no escape. This is the mood that I tried to put into my tracks.
KALTBLUT: With influences like Rammstein and Fever Ray, your sound is intensely dynamic. How do you incorporate these influences while maintaining your unique signature?
Yes, I’m such a big fan of the powerful energy that metal music delivers. Also a fan of some of the voices of bands like Rammstein, Deftones, Otep, Korn, Linkin Park, very narrative. On the electronic side: Fever Ray, Lana Del Rey, Crystal Castle, Trentemøller to mention just a few, are also inspirations for me. On top of voices, what I like is the melancholia. For me it’s kinda representing how I see life in general, deep introspection and fight!
KALTBLUT: The European club scene is well-known for its intense and immersive atmospheres. How has performing in these venues influenced your approach to produce music?
Indeed, the scene is very intense in Europe, fire energy on the dancefloors and even more underground when you go to the east side. I’m craving for raw underground places, where people come to release a lot of stuff while dancing hard and sweating. You can feel that they really need this free and safe space to be totally themself and escape a reality that doesn’t fit them. As a raver it’s what I need too. So, in my music, my sets and productions, I want to give energy to the people, on a warrior tempo march.
KALTBLUT: Each track of “Predator” represents a chapter in a saga. Could you explain this concept further? What story are you telling across these tracks?
Tracks were built in a chronological order, after I went through a traumatic experience, I needed to express myself to heal. Music was my answer.
From 85bpm to 170bpm, there is a range of different emotions and narrations to express different emotional states, going through doubts, resilience, fierceness and power.
KALTBLUT: Tracks like “Cold Room, The Freeze Response” and “Wake The F*ck Up!” evoke intense images. Can you talk about the process of crafting these songs and the inspiration behind their names?
‘Cold Room, The Freeze Response’ is talking about that emotional state when you can’t move, when you’re physically here but your mind and soul are not here anymore.
The title ‘Wake The F*ck Up!’ is me talking to myself, shouting to myself the urge to wake up from that state and to dance again, to come back to life.
KALTBLUT: As a DJ and a producer who has captivated audiences worldwide, what do you think is the key to create a memorable live performance?
What I really look for, is to have a true connection with the people, to talk to them through the music and not only in a cerebral way, in their flesh, bones and guts. That’s why when I play, I choose so carefully the frequencies in the sounds and kicks to hit super hard. I don’t hesitate to push low frequencies louder to make the experience even more physical. So, I would say that strong speakers are really important! Also, one thing that is super important to me is to add surprises in a set. Then you can hear loud screams of happiness in the middle of the dark session. I think people like to be surprised!
KALTBLUT: Drawing on your VJ background, how do you envision the intersection of visual arts and music in your future projects?
I remember, when I saw Rammstein or The Knife’s concerts in Paris, I immediately realized how important the scenography, visuals, storytelling and surprises are in order to captivate. Pyrotechny, danse, performances, light show, playing games with the audience.. During The Knife’s show, they had mixed singers and dancers to get the crowd confused, we couldn’t understand which people were the singers on stage, who were really singing.
The thing is to put attention not just on the artist on stage, it has to be a full experience.
It is a goal in my career to build a 360° artistic show, using several senses and forms of narrations. In view of my VJ, graphic motion designer and art school background, I learnt to pay a lot of attention to the visuals. It complements the sound, from my point of view. You can add another level of understanding and develop the artistic universe even more. It’s another door to my inner mind and thoughts that I want to share with people.
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Predator is out now: https://wiseband.lnk.to/Cassie-Raptor-Predator
