When Cassia burst onto the indie scene with their breezy rhythms and feel-good melodies, they carved out a space that sounded like an eternal summer—radiant, nostalgic, and just a little bit escapist. Now, with the release of their third full-length album everyone, outside (out April 11 via love sundays), the Macclesfield-born, Manchester-based trio double down on their signature sound. The result is a vibrant record that captures the essence of warmth and carefree days, but not without its shadows.
Right from the opening note of the title track, Cassia declare their intentions loud and clear. It’s a rhythmic sparkplug—infectious, upbeat, and built for movement. If joy had a soundtrack, this track might be it. The tropical guitar licks and playful Gameboy-like synths evoke images of beachside sunsets and open-air festivals. It’s pure serotonin, packed neatly into a three-minute groove.
From there, the record flows seamlessly into “friends,” a whistled anthem that keeps the euphoria alive. There’s a sense of gentle nostalgia running through these tracks, echoing sun-bleached afternoons with nowhere to be but right here. Cassia’s strength lies in their ability to bottle that exact feeling and pour it out track by track, each song radiating warmth and optimism.
“Heat,” the album’s lead single, continues this sun-drenched streak. With jangling guitar riffs and shimmering backing vocals, it feels like a walk through golden hour. There’s an unmistakable hint of 2000s indie rock here—something familiar but freshly polished. It’s not hard to imagine this one blaring from a speaker at a rooftop party or sneaking onto a playlist titled “Roadtrip Vibes.”
The album’s heartbeat is undeniably its rhythm—Cassia have a knack for crafting tracks that beg to be moved to. Songs like “Miles Out,” “forever,” and “here & now” showcase their percussive brilliance, blending samba-tinged grooves with modern indie sparkle. “Antidote” adds a dash of the unexpected, with sci-fi synths swirling around the beat, showing the trio’s willingness to experiment just enough to keep things interesting.
However, as the record progresses, a certain sameness begins to settle in. While the instrumentation remains inventive and lively, the vocals occasionally lack the dynamic range to keep up. There’s a mild flatness in the delivery—less storytelling, more floating—and it slightly dulls the emotional connection to otherwise colorful tracks. In places, everyone, outside feels more like a carefully curated vibe than a narrative-driven journey.
It raises the question: is that necessarily a bad thing?
In an era where music often serves as both background and escape, everyone, outside thrives as a mood-setter. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but rather, to keep it spinning smoothly under clear blue skies. And on that front, Cassia succeeds. These are songs meant for spontaneous dance breaks, afternoon drives, and those blissful moments when the sun finally cracks through the clouds after a long winter.
The album’s occasional safety might not win over critics seeking riskier experimentation or deeper lyrical dives, but for listeners searching for sonic sunshine, it more than delivers. It’s indie-pop comfort food: familiar, satisfying, and refreshingly free of pretension.
At their best, Cassia are mood architects. They understand the sensory power of a well-placed guitar lick, a pulsing drumbeat, a melodic whistle. And though everyone, outside may not be revolutionary, it never claims to be. It offers something arguably more valuable in today’s hyper-dense musical landscape: consistency, good vibes, and a space to breathe.
So, is everyone, outside the definitive indie album of the summer? Not quite. But it’s a compelling contender for your seasonal soundtrack—a warm breeze of a record that invites you to step outside, soak in the sun, and simply enjoy the moment.
Cassia aren’t reinventing indie-pop—they’re refining it, wrapping it in sunlight, and handing it to us with a smile. And honestly, on a bright April day, what more could you ask for?
