There’s no easing into “Living Without You” by Rëa. The track opens in a slow, foggy haze of ambient noise, like smoke after a fire, setting the stage for a confessional that’s as guttural as it is cinematic. Her voice enters high, breathy, defeated, and desolate voice comes as if it’s surrendered, like she has surrendered to the agony. But as the production starts to stir—beats rising, guitars sharpening—so does she.
And this is where it hits. Rëa unleashes gorgeous sensations with her voice. Her voice surges seamlessly and grows more tender, rich, and vulnerable, thawing with anguish. The song swells into a grungy, dark-pop storm and engulfs her effortlessly soaring voice, somewhere between Evanescence’s ghostly edge and early Paramore’s raw fire, while the lyrics rip into the heart of emotional loss with zero restraint. It’s suffocation, survival, and vengeance all rolled into one.
She sings, “I burn my skin just to cover your name” and “I cry alone, numb myself, drink my pain” to portray the depth of the pain. And just when you think the worst is over, she drops a vengeful bomb, “Burn in hell… fuck you in your next life.” It makes your breath catch.
What makes this debut stand out is how it doesn’t hold back. Not in its lyrics, not in its production, and definitely not in its emotion. Rëa checks out all components in her moody alt-rock soundscape. “Living Without You” is a raw, bloodletting first chapter. Stay tuned to the artist for more.
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Review by: Naomi Joan