Reetoxa – “Double A Side 2 (Akaroa / Erica And The Stars)”: Two Songs About Hope, Healing and Resilience
One thing about life that I’ve learned is that, it always has a way of surprising you in the least expected way. Think about that night where everything in life feels like it’s crashing down around you all at once, you can’t even sleep, staying awake, your thoughts clouded, staring at the ceiling, your brain wandering around like a headless chicken, wondering if you will ever find your feet again. You feel like you are drowning in dark thoughts, begging for just one tiny sign of hope to pull you out of the deep end. Then, out of nowhere, a quiet moment or a sudden spark of inspiration arrives and save the day.
That incredible resilience to hold on is what fuels “Double A Side 2 (Akaroa / Erica And The Stars)“, the moving single release from Melbourne project Reetoxa. The band led by singer and songwriter Jason McKee, the two-track project turns moments of deep personal struggle into grand, healing pieces of music that stay with you even after the last note is gone. The kind of production that went into this project is what makes it standout. Recorded at The Avenue Recording Studio in Victoria and mixed by producer Simon Moro, the tracks were crafted with rock band instruments mixed with a full orchestral backdrop. The production team brought in heavy-hitting players, including James Ryan from Men at Work on guitar, Kit Riley on bass, and Peter Martin from Jet on drums.
The way the instruments fit together creates this immense, sweeping dynamic that really catches your attention. With heavy electric guitar riffs and steady rock drums anchoring the foundation, you get the Budapest Orchestra swellsing up around the melody, allowing a beautiful contrast between intimate vocal lines and massive string sections, giving the whole release an epic, cinematic feel. This double A-side release pairs two deeply emotional tracks that showcase the ultimate healing power of art.
The track “Akaroa” takes us through that connection we all need to have with our Spirit. The track birthed out of a vivid spiritual dream and finished years later in a New Zealand coastal town, opens with a sweeping Jimi Hendrix-style octave guitar chord progression. Soft piano notes build up into a soaring rock chorus supported by lush backing vocals from Jessica McPherson-Riley. It’s a song that carries a comforting atmosphere about spiritual connection, honoring lost loved ones, and finding peace after long periods of grief. Sometimes we hold onto the bad moments for too long, we grief too long and this really take a toll on us. It does a lot of harm to you than good, yeah we all have a way of grieving, but if you still care about them and still love them, then it’s good you let go off that grief. Honor them by preserving their memories and doing something they would have loved to do! I really love how the track lets you enjoy the instrumentations, that rhythm section is Soo surreal and really comforting.
On “Erica And The Stars“, you get these sweeping violins, dramatic brass swells, and soaring string sections wrapped around a steady rock rhythm section. The track written during a intense mental health crisis, features the full Budapest Orchestra playing the exact arrangement McKee heard in his mind. It’s a song about battling your inner demons, finding the strength to keep going, and using creativity as a literal lifesaver. Sometimes, the struggles, the pain and everything we go through consumes us soo much that it becomes difficult to even overcome them. But we can’t give up, even if we don’t know how, we’ve gotta keep going, and have the believe that everything will be okay. Look at the stars, they may not even be away someone watches them everyday, but they always shine at night. And that’s the consistency needed to overcome every battle.
We all can agree that Reetoxa has delivered an absolute masterpiece of emotional storytelling with “Double A Side 2 (Akaroa / Erica And The Stars)“. It’s a brilliant, beautifully recorded release that proves that hope and beauty can shine through even the darkest of times. So why do you wanna give up because of small bump on the road? Go ahead and stream this beauty of tracks and enjoy some amazing orchestral delight!
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