Album Reviews

REVIEW | Rizha – FEVER DREAM

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Rizha is back with a new full-length effort, FEVER DREAM, and what an album it is!

At first glance, Rizha has all it takes to become worldwide famous. Twenty-year-old Tamara Luz Ronchese writes her own lyrics, records her own songs and produces her own music since her very beginnings, thus speaking directly and with no filter to a young generation that easily relates to her and shares her feelings and experiences. FEVER DREAM marks the Argentinian’s third full-length effort in the span of three years, following her debut Finally (2017) and her highly acclaimed follow-up Outside (2019). Although her sophomore album had gotten a bit of a push riding the wave of that new-found fame Ronchese had gotten from starring in the Spanish remake of the series SKAM, FEVER DREAM came on its own, after a year spent in a midst of a worldwide pandemic.

In an interview we did with the young triple-threat over the summer, she had shared having “found a place where I’m very comfortable producing and singing and writing.” And indeed, this new confort shows in the creative process behind her most recent effort. The record sounds more polished, although Ronchese has always been a perfectionist and put out records that she and the rest of us were more than happy with. The production on this 10-track album is impeccable, and yet softened to make place for more developed songwriting and stronger vocals.

Although some tracks like her latest single “GOODTIME” and the much-awaited “KILL THE MACHINE (ft. PUTOCHINOMARICÓN)” have got this Rizha electro-pop brand to them that fans have grown accustomed to, some other songs have the versatile artist show a new side of her. Indeed, when one’s ear would have previously been too caught up in the melody to pay attention to anything else, tracks like “SOMEDAYS” introduce listeners to a more vulnerable side of the singer. Kicking off with a soft piano intro, Ronchese is heard singing “I’m giving advice I never take / Making the same mistakes again.” The collaboration with Billy Cobb “PARANOIA,” which has quickly become a fan favorite amongst the singer’s forty-eight thousand Twitter followers, can also be found amongst these softer tracks. A perfect example of what a collaboration should be, the track features vocals from both singers, blending perfectly in the last chorus.

Usually a solo type of girl, Rizha took the risk to have collaborators on five tracks out of ten. When one could find this excessive, this half of the album is actually very welcomed, for each song showcases the featured artist’ talent perfectly and allows Rizha to experiment new sounds. DEVA thus shines on the title track “FEVER DREAM” and “LIVE THE WEEKEND” featuring British singer Girli has, since its release this summer, become a bisexual anthem. The full-length also features Melissa Brooks of California band The Aquadolls on the track “GLASS.” This last song is only one of the two tracks in which Rizha is heard singing in her native Spanish. Indeed, not one to ever back off from a challenge, the young singer went as far as mixing not two but three languages –English, Spanish, and Italian– in seventh track of the record “SUNLIGHT.”

As the young singer had once put it, FEVER DREAM is a perfect mix of things she had done before, and new sounds she experimented with. And when live shows will start happening again to support albums, you can be sure we’ll be front row for that one!

>> Get your copy of FEVER DREAM here.

30-year-old writer, photographer and design editor located in Bordeaux, France. I bring queer content everywhere I go :) Inquiries at lex@stagerightsecrets.com