Reside – Relight (EP Review)

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Rhiannon Porter

RESIDE – Relight
Released: April 23, 2021

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Even though their flame never went out, Melbourne band Reside are here to relight their previous bangers in alternative ways on their new EP, Relight.

Reside caught my eye through the release of their 2019 EP The Light That You Saw and I haven’t been able to look away since. After winning the Triple J Unearthed Unify competition in 2020, it’s been a pretty non-stop ride for the band. Between selling out their headline show at Northcote Social Club last year and just last week kicking off their Relight tour in Melbourne, the guys are clearly not slowing down anytime soon.

My first and only time seeing Reside live so far was at Unify. I remember being extremely tired, hangry and stressed after rushing to a food truck in time to get breakfast, before sitting down on the hill to watch Reside kick off the day. I mean the burger was pretty darn good, but Resides’ set was better. Showing absolutely no nerves to be first on the stage, it was all high energy and happiness from all the members and I recall being very impressed with how great they sounded live.

I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected when it comes to Reside, which is probably part of the reason we are so hooked on their every move. As someone who is a big fan of emo tunes and also of groovy dance music, I am unquestionably thrilled by this reimagined EP – two of my favourite genres mixed together?! Give it here please!

With the combination of tracks 1 and 2 from The Light That You Saw, comes the birth of ‘BrevitySolus (Shadow Remix)’. Opening with raw acoustics, the track then sweeps its way into what could be best described as smooth jazz, elevator music. It feels like two completely opposite genres colliding, yet somehow Liam’s abrasive screams and the mellow, rhythmic and deep bass-driven chords seem to work surprisingly well together.

As the first taste of the reimagined tracks, ‘In This Moment (Summer Remix)’ dropped last month and has been on regular rotation for me since. “Summer” is definitely the best way to describe it, giving off a strong day drinking in the sun with friends feeling. I’m left in a similar euphoric state to the one I find myself in when listening to Peripheral Vision by Turnover every time I listen to this track. It’s catchy, vibrant and so much fun.

‘Gloom (Colour Mix)’ is just straight up nostalgic funk and the complete opposite of anything gloomy. The breezy rhythms and smooth grooves make me think it could easily pass as a Frank Ocean song, I can guarantee you won’t be able to sit still listening to it. Autotuned and calm, ‘Fallen (Interlude)’ naturally glides its way into ‘The Light That I Found (Moving On Mix)’. The atmosphere is entirely altered to feel hopeful and optimistic, making it clear as to why it’s a moving on mix. Lush, dreamy synths cascade their way over echoed vocals, leaving the listener feeling warm and fuzzy.

As my favourite Reside track, I was very interested to hear ‘Replace Me (Stay Mix)’. Liam’s shifted vocals are truly enjoyable, bringing positivity to the heavy lyrics. The base melody of the original track still remains quite clear and the added charming pop beats add a blissful element. The illusion of a record player being bumped and guitar taking over is a quirky twist and leaves the EP on a nostalgic note.

I really love Relight, right down to the artwork of the same light on the cover of The Light That You Saw, now smashed into pieces to portray the revamped versions of the tracks. Reside have proven to us that they are completely unpredictable and certainly willing to break out of the punk shaped box they’ve been placed in. Overall, Relight feels like that breath of fresh air you take when you finally get outside the steamy venue after a gig. Excuse the pun, but Reside have really done a tremendous job at shining a bright light on once dark and emo tracks. From uplifting and blissful synths, to melodic grooves and catchy beats, this EP is so damn fun and will keep you on your toes from start to finish.

I can’t wait to see what Reside do next, no doubt it’ll be something completely unexpected and I absolutely love them for that.

Reside – Relight tracklisting

1. BrevitySolus (Shadow Remix)
2. In This Moment (Summer Remix)
3. Gloom (Colour Mix)
4. Fallen (Interlude)
5. The Light That I Found (Moving On Mix)
6. Replace Me (Stay Mix)

Rating: 7/10
Relight is out tomorrow. Pre-save it here
Review By Rhiannon Porter (@rrhiannonporter)

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