‘…an artist with great creative potential, unafraid to twist her sound in unique and disconcerting ways…’
It has been quite some time since we last heard from Merseyside singer-songwriter Reese O’Neill; having released her single ‘Comedown’ in April 2025, the artist has been busy working with her queer collective Diva Dungeon to put on live music and DJ events across London and Liverpool. Now, having returned to working on her debut EP, O’Neill is here to remind you just what makes her worthy of your attention.
O’Neill’s latest single, ‘Machine’, sees the artist working with a folktronica music palette; acoustic strumming lays down a foundation on top of which synths and autotuned vocals gradually swell and intertwine. Sparse simplicity gives way to a cinematic yet restrained climax, serving as a palpable outpouring of melancholic grief as O’Neill details her experiences with Functional Neurological Disorder.
Her self-perception of being a ‘machine with a broken command’ is brought to life by gorgeous, sprawling vocal melodies that are softly warped with a gentle layering of autotune, giving her performance a compellingly disjointed sound. Nothing here is executed without an intense sense of purpose; you truly feel as though you are observing O’Neill through her own eyes.
O’Neill exudes promise. ‘Machine’ is an insight into an artist with great creative potential, unafraid to twist her sound in unique and disconcerting ways to produce something wonderfully compelling; echoes of familiar pop ideas transformed into something that carries a real depth of emotion. It is easy to suspect that her EP will be nothing short of a must-listen experience.
For Fans Of: Billie Eilish, labyrinthine oceans, beabadoobee, Mitski, Penelope Scott
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