Olivia Reid - “Nightmare Machine”
Photo by Josh Brassai
Olivia Reid is back on the blog with “Nightmare Machine,” a mesmerizing and introspective track that “seeks relief from a constant cycle of bad news and lucid dreams.”
“Nightmare Machine” is a bit outside of our wheelhouse, as it resides within the genre of folktronica, a style of music that we do not often explore on our blog. But after its brief, glitchy synth of an intro, Reid has the kind of vocal that will make anyone say yes, so that’s exactly what we did. There is a familiarity here– a sort of Julien Baker-meets-Jade Bird– which will likely win you over, much as it has done for us. It is intimate, heartfelt, and honest, which is what completely sells the subject matter.
For the first verse, listeners get a good dose of straight-up indie folk music, complete with an acoustic guitar and gentle, distant percussion. The vocal harmonies here are phenomenal and we would have featured this song for them alone. But there is so much ear candy scattered throughout “Nightmare Machine” that listeners are bound to hear something new with each play. The rhythmic layers of pulsing synths, in addition to the multiple tracks of vocals, effectively showcase Reid’s talent and craft.
You simply do not want to miss this one!
-HD