“It’s more in vogue to scroll our phones and pop another pill / trying to keep us numb, complacent, dumb, and ill…”
We live in a world where ideas such as global peace, working together toward a common goal, and carefreeness are more fragile than ever; this has become our normal, our reality, and sometimes, we need to be shaken out of it. That’s what Reality Distortion’s latest EP, Ceasefire, aims to do. A collection of tracks that weave a story, building the world we’ve become complacent in, the EP keeps things grounded and real while never losing the touch of immediacy that its message deserves.
Ceasefire, the titular track, opens the EP with breathy vocals laid on a backdrop of atmospheric percussion. For the most part, the track remains minimal, so when it does unfurl, it does so in a way that’s more impactful than it would have otherwise been. Unafraid to soar and expand the range of energy through the track, this is one that draws you into the rest of the EP with a masterful ease. It moves into Legacy, a track that carries the atmosphere forward with ethereal vocal performances and a solid bed of strong rhythm that ups the ante without teetering off into pure intensity; this balance holds the tension in the track, creating a space for you to find yourself pulled into its distorted, yet clear, sound. “Are we in an age of giving up, or in an age of giving?” the song asks, before we move on to Speak Now, a track that moves from introspection to emphasis on the need for decisive action. This track, especially, feels a lot more direct and conversational, like it’s coming to you from a friend: even though the lyrics and instrumentation stay aggressive, the delivery is always gentle in its urgency, and this balance is what keeps the EP succeeding throughout.
When we come to Renaissance, we’re more than halfway through the EP – the perfect moment for reflection, which the song provides space for. The sound shifts from obvious urgency to one that collects all we know and lays it out with simplicity: it’s a call for global understanding and peace that transcends borders and boundaries. As the EP closes with Outro, it feels like a culmination of the journey the other songs have led us through: powerful and cinematic, yet, as every other track is, accessible and stirring. It leaves you with a deeper willingness to try and do what’s right, and succeeds in letting protest come through in its rawest form, with no unnecessarily flowery language or preachiness. Listen to Ceasefire here!