Promising verses more focused than ever, a fast-paced outpouring of scenes that captivate, Trial is a song based around the Franz Kafka novel The Trial, and delivers a breathless encapsulation of that across less than a minute and a half of music.

Hip HopPop RockRap Rock

Taking Names offers a plethora of deeply poetic, metaphorical and impressive lyrics – the sharpness and intelligence of which permits the song the worthy status of requiring you to listen more than a couple of times to grasp every idea. There are depths to the music, and as such, each time you do revisit, the music and story hit with all the more impact.

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For those new to the style, you might find similar vibes amidst the hit movies of eras past – the days when street rap battles, break dancing and colourful clothes hung on the air like a stylish hit of opposition to the mundane. Reis Armstrong recaptures the purity of those days, and does so with original songwriting and a clear sense of unity and passion for the process.

Old SchoolOld School Hip HopOld School.RapRnB

The familiar ache of desperation, of inescapable self-burden, resounds throughout the fearlessly honest lyrics of the song, and the contrast between these thoughtful, clearly informed verses, and the heavier resolve of the hook, helps the topic and feeling really connect.

It’s a simple but essential take on the matter, and the music sounds immense – hopefully Better Off Alive will reach the right people at just the right time.

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