Riiki Reid – Drench (Warner NZ) 13th Floor EP Review
New Zealand singer-songwriter Riiki Reid serves up a course of catchy, summer infused alt-pop tracks in her latest EP, Drench.
A Wellingtonian local (I think we even went to the same high school, years apart obviously!), Riiki Reid (Raquel Abolins-Reid), plays a short montage of an endless summer. Love, nostalgia, escapism (or so the press release says), and the feeling of it all disappearing at the end.
We love a summer album/EP in New Zealand. And, it’s always the hope that this particular new release will get a good bashing at parties/BBQs and invite-only-drinks. Sounding both great on a calm morning and at night, a good summer album leaves you with that pleasant feeling of freedom.
Reid’s ulterior motive is to give the world her most honest artistic statement to date. This is me! Hear me roar! Or something to that extent. Considering I’ve never listened to her before, I’ll try my best to evaluate how that statement comes across.
The EP kicks off with a recording speed up on Indulgent (Fruit), launching into a catchy pop melody. I get a real if-Fazerdaze-used-less-guitar vibe. Her voice is sweet and, despite multiple layers of production, comes through genuinely.
I would probably classify this more as an honest pop album, than drifting into the alternative. It kind of reminds me of the sort of music Air New Zealand would blast in the cabin after a successful landing. That being said, it’s very pleasant.
What If captures a new-age Rumours-era Stevie Nicks vibe in Reid’s vocals. I could see myself earing this endlessly on the radio on the rental car I’ve hired for driving the Bay of Islands for my sister-in-law’s wedding. I only say this because the last time I did that, there were the same two or three ‘summer songs’ songs played every twenty or so minutes. It’s a compliment! Really!
The production on the album overall is quite complex. There’s a nice blend of synths and instruments. The drums have that classic compression that all pop artists use these days. Reid has teamed up with long-time collaborators, Josh Fountain (acclaimed producer who now owns the studio that Lorde started off in – yep, I looked that up!) and Shungudzo Kuyimba. The result is pleasing.
A previous dance teacher at Pump music academy, I think she’s really captured a nice dance vibe. Not ‘Un-cha-Un-cha-Un-cha-shake-my-body-around’ dance. More what awkward white guys (like me) would feel comfortable to dance along to. It’s nicely upbeat. Lead single Over Romantic gives off 80s vibes throughout the chorus. The lyric is pretty clever as well, considering being drunk in love has been done a dozen or so times before.
As for this EP being her statement of identity. Yes, I got a pretty good idea of who Riiki Reid is in my listens through Drench.
And I liked it. I did.
Daniel Edmonds
Drench is out now on Warner NZ
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