Siberian-Chinese singer-songwriter Realma has been making quite the splash in the industry lately, as highlighted by her recent publications in acclaimed magazines and media outlets– all describing her genre-transcendent sound as otherworldy, and wild; with that kind of rep, I’d say I’m ready to give her latest single, “Down The Railway Spine” a closer look with my magnifying lens– keep reading for my thoughts!
To call it simply? It’s deserved, her reputation; from the intro that sets up this dramatic, ominous energy in the atmosphere with the expansive, simply massive orchestral percussion, we’re informed that this is no ordinary jingle with chords and progressions that are easy to follow through on first listen. There’s drama and dollops of it. The strings in the background follow quick, aggressive cadence with the sky-high icy pianos bringing the tension up even higher, setting up what is a detailed, attention-grabbing listening environment on “Down The Railway Spine” that effectively sucks the listener into a vacuum, keeping them there, firmly grounded as the verse melts into the hook while deviating from conventional structure and meters.
Checkout the latest news: Watch: Jung Kook of BTS Sets the Stage Ablaze with Epic Performance and Global Solo Debut
Seconds quickly go by into minutes as Realma’s vocals reach register higher than register, and every single time we hear her vocalisations, well, they’re only there to intensify the sheer energy of the song, and they do so with excellent poise and candour. “Down The Railway Spne” exhibits some of the most energy-charged yet seemingly haunting and relaxed vocals, and that’s the kind of combination that you don’t get to hear often. It is executed really, really well, and there’s every reason to love it.
The production holds things together beautifully, with ample amounts of good sound design and smart mixing tricks to keep the listener company. There are wide, sky-high reverbs and they fill the space while not being overwhelming to the instruments, and the energy dynamic is overall simply excellent. Wrap this up with a clinical, precise master, and you have yourself a very well-rounded listening experience.
Check out “Down The Railway Spine” by Realma here!
Check out our Spotify playlists.
Check out our YouTube channel for music reviews, playlists, podcasts, and more!
Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.
