Kaskeset’s been quite busy on the recording front these past six months, releasing several singles and a full-length album for the group’s catalog. It appears Kaskeset’s last commercially available release prior to these new arrivals was produced in 2013, so this is definitely an exciting era for fans and alumni.

Od Yishama’s fire comes from its strong-voiced male lead, Meir Sommer. Sommer's flair and confidence carry the song and mesmerize the listener, as his is a voice that could carry anything. His duet partner, Lily Rosenbaum, offers a nice contrast to Sommer with a lighter, airy delivery that balances the front mics perfectly. This pair is just wonderful together.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to sample the background voices as distinctly, as the arrangement for Od Yishama is serviceable but lacking in variety or creativity. The compact vocal range for the bulk of the piece is probably the biggest detriment; it’s hard to grow excitement if the singers are staying in the same little pocket of notes, with the same stacked chord progressions. It’s possible there’s some real power beneath the leads, but the arrangement just doesn’t offer enough to showcase the group’s skills and style. 

A group with fresh motivation and drive is always one to watch. Though Od Yishama doesn’t realize the full skillset of the group, I’ll definitely be checking out Kaskeset’s new album, Gone Fishing.