Album Review: Erika de Casier "Lifetime"
- Nicole Basham
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
If you're looking for the perfect album to set the mood for a cozy winter night, I recommend Lifetime, a self-produced 2025 release by Erika de Casier. De Casier is a Portuguese-born, Copenhagen-based artist, who you might know even if you think you don't. She co-wrote and co-composed the smash hits "Super Shy" and "Cool With You" for the internationally renowned K-pop girl group, NewJeans.
"I'm super shy, super shy/But wait a minute while I make you mine, make you mine/떨리는 지금도 you're on my mind all the time
De Casier's demure yet captivating lyricism and trip-hop beats are instantly recognizable, although this was her first experience writing for another artist. She was initially surprised when a team member of NewJeans reached out to her with an invitation to drop by a studio session for the girl group in Copenhagen. As she told GQ:
"One of the first questions they asked me was, 'Do you listen a lot to K-Pop?' And I got so nervous and I had to be honest and said, 'No, I haven't yet explored that genre.' And they're like, 'Good, because we want something new. We want something fresh.' And I'm like, 'Okay, okay, okay.'"
The surprising bedroom pop twist de Casier contributed helped create one of the most critically acclaimed and iconic collections in K-Pop, 2023's Get Up EP.
I, likewise, loved de Casier's standout feature on Nick León's summer 2025 release "Bikini" from A Tropical Entropy. However, it seems that her laid-back vibe works even better in the cold, reflective months. On Lifetime, de Casier abandons the Y2K nostalgia pop that she helped repopularize in favor of slowed-down 90s influences. De Casier's electro-R&B singing and synths create an introspective and intimate winter backdrop. Dreamy, circuitous tracks like "December" are ideal for curling up with a significant other by a crackling fire:
In December/When it turns cool and all is ice/I don't wanna leave/I'd rather be close to you/I'd rather be close to you/In December/When it turns cool and all is ice/I don't wanna leave/I'd rather be close to you I'd rather be close to you"
Or, perhaps you find yourself yearning for such fireside affections, in which case the track "Delusional" would be a perfect accompaniment. The songs are ambient and atmospheric, yet still deliver emotionally-charged choruses that you are almost certain to find yourself humming later on.
The changing of weather and the passage of time are recurring themes on the album. Shifts in season and changes in the external world help to create the literal transitions between tracks and mirror de Casier's competing desires for stability versus freedom. Her longing for both is best exemplified on the appropriately titled "Seasons," consisting of a twice-repeated, minimalistic chorus and verse:
"Seasons change and birds are flying high/Oh, like it's nothing/Oh, like it's nothing/And I need to know if you can let me, can let me go
Soft, crooning vocals and layered synth textures create pining, effortless-sounding tracks such as "Miss" and "Two Thieves." The lyrical simplicity of de Casier's work is arresting without feeling like the tracks are constantly attempting to grab attention. Her work is assertive in its production quality and cohesive concept while staying true to her introverted, chill personality. Whatever activities you have planned for the end of winter and the beginning of spring, this album flows effortlessly alongside them.
But, as always, the best way to explore this record is to give it a listen!
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