REZZ takes a dark turn with “it’s not a phase” EP
Review by Natasha Christian
We’ve all had a goth phase.
For some, it stems from heartbreak and we start wearing black until we find a reason to wear colour again.
For others, we let goth bleed into our personalities permanently - as I did after seeing the Starfuckers Inc music video and falling into years-long unreciprocated limerence with Trent Reznor.
Canadian EDM producer REZZ - Isabelle Rezazadeh - has declared she’s officially in her goth era by releasing a 7-song EP It’s Not A Phase.
Already known for her dark sound and hypnotic spiral glasses, REZZ has lined up some ear-pricking rock/alt collabs for this EP, including Silverstein (yep … ), Polyphia’s Tim Henson, Alice Glass (ex-Crystal Castles) and Johnny Goth.
It’s Not A Phase was teased as “goth-inspired rocktronic”, so I expected dance music that sounds a bit Bauhaus or Sisters of Mercy. However, REZZ’s interpretation of goth music leans much closer to 2000s emo than the dark and gloomy 80s sound I was hoping for. This isn’t a bad thing, and if you’re able to look past it and embrace the sound for what it is, you’ll hear some great goth-adjacent grooves.
The EP opens with the creepy sound of a music box before diving into sleepy dance track Signal - I say sleepy not because it’s boring, it’s just very lullaby-like. Admittedly it’s a song I didn’t like very much to begin with, but the catchy chorus and distorted basslines have grown on me a lot. While Grabbitz's vocals make it sound more Dashboard Confessional than The Damned, it’s an undeniable emo earworm.
Up next is Haunted Eyes featuring MKLA and for me, it’s the standout track on It’s Not A Phase. I can see it easily creeping onto PVC-packed alt-club dance floors in the near future. Then we get the aggressively cool Blue In The Face, which is like a femme power version of CORPSE's E-girls with its catchy bridge and haunting lullaby motif. This was the first track I heard from It’s Not A Phase, and think it would’ve been a punchier opening track than Signal. From there the tone shifts from gritty to pretty with Embers, where Raven Grey offers some beautiful, Halsey-esque vocals (Halsey had her own goth phase not that long ago that’s also worth a listen). All three of these songs are great and have gone on my playlist.
Blurry Eyes is the most goth-sounding track on It’s Not A Phase with its dreamy outro that would feel right at home in a macabre Tim Burton movie. Johnny Goth provides some dark and moody vocals akin to a more haunting Dandy Warhols - hopefully you’ll see what I mean in this video.
The Silverstein collab Dreamstate will likely attract some new REZZ listeners. The song delivers with its electronic/emo/metalcore crossover, creeping close to BMTH and Falling In Reverse territory. While Tim Henson was teased as one of the biggest collabs on It’s Not A Phase, his gentle guitar work takes more of a backseat and is more subtle than expected. I wonder if this is intentional as the goth sound isn’t known for technical guitar solos. While you do hear Henson’s undeniable skill towards the end of the song, it’s clear he’s here to support, not star. (If you are into Polyphia, read Natalie’s review of their Brisbane show.)
I think it was a bold move for REZZ to make Not Enough the EP closer. Being an Alice Glass collab, her distinct sound could’ve easily overshadowed the project. The song is as ethereal as you’d expect this collab to be, but there’s still plenty of REZZ’s sound to be found. In saying that, the bookends of this EP didn’t grab me as much as what I found in the middle.
Overall the new REZZ EP probably won’t satisfy goth purists, but it’s a solid offering of emo-inspired rocktronica that captivates and grows more enchanting each listen. It’s also great to see a popular EDM producer use their platform to put a spotlight on rock/alt artists they admire.
It’s Not A Phase is available to stream now.
