The Act: SASHA ASSAD

The Release: 'CASABLANKER'

The Format: DIGITAL EP

The Release Date: AUGUST 16TH 2024

The Digital Link: orcd.co/casablanker

The Tracklisting:
1. 'IMAGINE MARY'
2. 'CHERRY COLA'
3. 'CASABLANKER'
4. 'USELESS'

The Truth: fresh from her hectic hoedown at the Isle of Wight Festival, Sasha Assad is still very much a half-Egyptian, half-Nottinghamshire alternative artist blending indie-rock influences with emotive lyrics and ear-worm hooks. 'Casablanker' is her second panda EP release and consists of four fragrantly ragged tunes, including recent radio smashettes 'Imagine Mary' and 'Cherry Cola'.

Sasha takes her band to the Radio X bunker for a John Kennedy live session on September 14th, before they hit the exotic environs of East London for this show here:
OCTOBER 10TH 2024 LONDON HACKNEY OSLO (with CHINA BEARS)

She's a swift mover is Sasha: her debut 'Tearstick' EP only appeared in March, stuffed to the thrills with previous radio hits 'Still' and 'Bad Nature'. 'Casablanker' continues the leftfield theme with a raggedly intellectual romantic angle which is faintly reminiscent of PJ Harvey preborn on Stiff Records circa '79. We're especially smitten with the solo desolation of 'Useless', which was recorded with Greg Wizard at Brixton Jamm, and continues a raucously personal lyrical theme, or as Sasha says:

"I wrote Casablanker after a really tough stretch of writers block. I remember being sat down and staring at a ‘Casablanca’ poster on my wall. I then thought ‘hmmm, Casablanca does have a nice ring to it’. Then I became a human rhyme zone. ‘Rhymes with blanker and thank her! And another word (that unfortunately I probably couldn’t use in a song I’d like aired on the radio)’. So that is how 'Casablanker' was born!"

The panda crew encountered Sasha and her band supporting The Manatees at the Sebright Arms last spring and were smitten like lovelorn mittens by a sound which brilliantly mixed modern multi-cultural indiepop norms with old school collegiate rock va va voomings. It's not every evening we get to compare any new act with The Pretenders, The Breeders and Elastica, but it's not every gig where you get to see something as enthralling and enervating as Sasha Assad.

The Sasha Assad journey thus far has been suitably stealthy: some hometown blossomings, tying Notts in knots; some Steve Lamacq spins, BBC Introducing live love, Radio X support, a Truck Festival ruck, lotsa feeling from This Feeling, consistently funtimes at The Dublin Castle and The Lexington and a few gentle frenzies at The Hawley Arms.

"Love this! Love this! Love this! Sasha Atlanta Assad's music is a beautiful dreamy voice perfectly surfing on top of a rough-edged aggressive structure of instrumentals! Simplicity balancing on top of monstrous complexity..." - Inpop