Known for her cult following among EDM fans old and new, REZZ has finally dropped her long-awaited sophomore album Certain Kind of Magic. She has released three leading singles for CKOM – “Witching Hour”, “H E X” and “Flying Octopus”. Her tour was also announced just this summer, and she had already sold out one of her shows (Red Rocks, CO) before the album release.
Now, with the new album out for the world to hear, EDM fans can revel in the magic and intrigue of REZZ’s incredibly unique, bewitching style.
Certain Kind of Magic opens with the three leading singles mentioned above; bringing a mystical, ethereal sound with “Witching Hour”, a total banger with “H E X” featuring 1788-L, and a sexy slow-grind vibe with “Flying Octopus”.
From there, the album strays further into the territory of the strange and wonderful that REZZ is known for. Her song “Life & Death” showcases a beautiful soundscape of experimentally paired samplings and dirty bass. In contrast, “Spider On The Moon” counters with a eerie blend of clicks and drums that feels to be one part intriguing, and one part fearful. This track maintains itself as one of the strongest on the album.
“Teleportal” transports the album to a new level with a completely unexpected mix of electric guitar and light use of strings brought into the blend of punchy drums, dragging the listener from the disturbing fascination of “Spider On The Moon” and back into a jarring, exciting whirlwind of sounds. The pairing of classic musical instruments on this track with REZZ’s classic synth-and-bass style signal a change into new territory for her sound, and her musical development.
“The Crazy Ones” brings us back to a classic REZZ sound that we’re used to. The more familiar-sounding track is a comfort for older fans, before leading them into the extremely unique closing track “Toxin”, one of REZZ’s sole tracks that features vocals.
Maintaining her dark, ominous style, REZZ gracefully weaves a male/female duet into the sexy, slow-burn track. She brings back electric guitar for “Toxin” the melody seething with a dark, beautiful sound that effortlessly dips the listener into the clutches of a darker place. The album drops off after the eerie ebbing of the vocalists, leaving the listener in quiet contemplation of the journey through the album as a whole.
After the first couple of listens, it’s safe to say that Certain Kind of Magic is as addictive as it is experimental, heightening REZZ’s reputation as a pioneer in modern EDM. Critics of REZZ often complain about monotony between her releases, and Certain Kind of Magic crushes that criticism – instead, showing incredible diversity between the use of classical instruments, weird and wonderful sampling, and a track including vocalists.
If you were unsure about the direction of REZZ’s music since her last release, let Certain Kind of Magic be your compass towards a new direction of diversity and wonder. While some tracks play it a little safe – such as “The Crazy Ones” and “Flying Octopus”, the album as a whole comes together as a masterpiece of experimental dance, and a hallmark of new sounds that transport the listener to another world.
The only major fault of Certain Kind of Magic is the short length – you’ll find yourself lost in the dark, mystical world REZZ creates in the project, and by the end, you’ll never want to leave.
