cae – ‘alt girl encounters’ [Album Review]

Birmingham, Alabama-based experimental rap artist cae recently released his long player, alt girl encounters, 10 tracks of hip-hop music blending lo-fi surfaces with fat, clotted basslines.

cae explains that the album “was made during a transitional period in my life. I was taking a break from releasing music and going through a breakup. I turned to music, skating, etc., to keep my mind off of things and started investing my time in discovering new electronic and rock music influences and was listening nonstop. I started trying to sample and play around with it in my production as well as in my vocals and admire the fluidity and expression drive-vocals can give to a song versus normal rap vocals.”

With over 36,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and over 15 million streams on “crave you,” cae’s sound and evocative, emotional lyrics hark back to the ’000s.

Highlights on the album include “dreamt abt u…,” which opens on frenetic, luminous tones topped by cae’s low, almost droning flow. At once a bit sad yet immersed in quixotic savors, the melody is strangely haunting.

“usexual–” rolls out on grimy, dark colors that fluctuate and then transition into a rumbling, vibrating melody. cae’s murmuring flow takes on secretive aspects, as if he’s whispering in someone’s ear.

cae, photo courtesy of cae

A personal favorite because of its barbershop quartet-like intro, “ur slave” oscillates on a deep, heavy bassline that eventually disappears, followed by reappearing at more subterranean levels.

Full of eerie shadows and shuddering resonance topped by chiming accents, “y cant u?” rumbles, ebbs and rises, and moves on a measured, teeter-tottering beat. Whereas “ihu<3” merges heavy lo-fi textures with hints of pop and dream-pop into a thrumming melody. Mumbling vocals give the lyrics a frayed confessional feel.

Lyrically dense and introspective, on alt girl encounters, cae deals with the complexities of personal relationships.

alt girl encounters Track Listing:

1. b4u
2. dreamt abt u…
3. ur my fav artist.
4. usexual–
5. her past’s, ur present’s
6. ur slave
7. Enterlude
8. r u ai
9. y cant u?
10. ihu<3

Run Time: 36:52
Release Date: February 23, 2026
Record Label: Independent