Cassia Hardy’s In Relation longs for refuge

Photo Credit: Lyle Bell

Opening with an abstracted one-sided phone conversation and continuing to process defining memories throughout, Cassia Hardy's debut album, In Relation re-introduces the Edmonton singer-songwriter in bold fashion. With command over her voice and message, Cassia commits increasingly personal statements to tape, discussing the intricacies of displaced housing, maintaining friendships, and navigating romantic entanglements. It's a gripping listen that adds dimension and warmth to an already captivating name in the western Canadian music scene.

Cassia controls her voice and stories in a way similar to Destroyer's Dan Bejar, punctuating each word with fervour until the record boils over with commanding energy. Instrumentally, In Relation owes more to power pop, tender indie rock, and it even makes room for Cassia's characteristically shredded guitar tone. While accents of strings and synths add depth and definition to the whole affair, it's Cassia herself who uplifts the record and compellingly departs from the noisy pop sounds of Wares.

Standout moments include the drive of "Empress," which soundtracks the closure of an old haunt and the connections made inside. Likewise, "Two Houses," outlines the anxieties and uncertainty when navigating housing disparity. Keyboards accent and add dramatic undertone to a story about living with a former lover in a home set to be re-permitted. Cassia passionately shares in the collective friction between renters and land owners. This feeling of being pushed out and navigating periods of loneliness is ever present throughout In Relation. The album prompts listeners to hold on to the spaces that create a sense of belonging and safety.

In Relation longs for refuge—for shelter from life's storms, and for togetherness in tough times. Cassia Hardy emerges a fully formed solo artist, tackling each song with both urgency and tenderness, care and compassion. While the record departs from the sound of Wares in enthralling fashion, it helps reaffirm Cassia Hardy as a standout songwriter.