Before the current wave of Hip Hop and Alternative artists that are driving the Milwaukee music scene and making it thrive more than ever right now, there was a wave of Indie Pop and Rock artists that put Milwaukee on the national music map in the early 2010s. Artists like Vinyl Theatre, Rustbelt(formerly known as Juiceboxxx), and REYNA put eyes on Milwaukee at the beginning of the last decade and showed the world that this city has so much great music to offer the world. After going by the name Vic and Gab for several years and having their music drive them to the top of the local music scene and start to pop off in online music forums(they even had one of the tracks featured in the 2011 MTV series Skins), REYNA rebranded and renamed themselves in 2016. They chose this name to highlight themselves as Mexican-American women who could be a force in Alternative music. REYNA released their first single, ‘Spill Your Colors,’ in 2016. They subsequently released a plethora of singles over the next several years, with multiple songs like 2017’s ‘Matinee,’ 2018’s ‘Heartbeat,’ and 2020’s ‘Lonely Girl’ all having big success online and solidifying REYNA rising stars in the Alternative music world. REYNA released their first EP, you could at least say goodbye, in 2022; this EP is partially in Spanish, with REYNA leaning into their Mexican heritage and showcasing a side to them that we have not seen a ton of in the past. Last week, REYNA returned with a new EP, titled Limonada. This is their first release since leaving their record label to get more control over their sound, and it is exciting to see what direction they go now that they have full creative control. With that being said, here is how I feel about REYNA’s Limonada. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Limonada, and also comment on how you feel about the project as a whole.
REYNA gets Limonada started on a light and bright note with the song ‘Good Time.’ This is an easy-going, warm Pop-Rock song with a summery feeling to it. This is the kind of song that would be perfect to drive to in a drop-top on a hot, sunny day. I could just imagine blasting this song while driving by Bradford Beach here in Milwaukee on a busy day and singing my heart out. The melody for this song is so sweet and friendly sounding, with it being provided by a slightly distorted guitar riff and saturated keyboard riff. There are synths and sound effects that come in and out to complement the melody and make it feel so full. The vocals on this song are super breathy and relaxed, matching the easy-going and gleaming feeling of the instrumental. ‘Good Time’ is such a great way to start this project, as it has such a fun sound that draws me in as a listener. ‘Serotonin’ is another summery song with a very pleasant sound, albeit in a very different way than the song that precedes it. There is something about this song that immediately makes me think of the 1990s. Its sound and style incorporate multiple types of music from that era. The groovy bass line that drives the melody and beat has a feeling that reminds me of 1990s Reggae Fusion groups like Ace of Base or even Sublime, but there is also something about the tone of the guitar riff that adds to the melody that is similar to Slacker Rock bands like Sixpence None the Richer or Natalie Imbruglia. The vocal performance on ‘Serotonin’ is a bit more poignant and emphasized than the one on the preceding track. There are also cool vocal effects that come in and out of this track that give it texture and make it stand out. ‘Serotonin’ is a charming Pop-Rock track with a bit of a retro feeling to it that fans of late 1990s music should really enjoy. If ‘Good Time’ and ‘Serotonin’ have feelings to them that are indicative of a beautiful summer afternoon, then ‘Optimist’ has a sound that is indicative of the sunset on that beautiful summer day. This track is equally as good-natured and delightful as those, but its tone is not quite as bright. ‘Optimist’ has a beat and melody that is very reminiscent of some of the Pop-Rock music from the Y2K era. The beat for this track has a Y2K feeling to it, and the shimmery and distorted melody has an island feeling to it that makes me want to drink a frozen drink on a summer evening somewhere in the Caribbean. The guitar riff that drives this melody is so lovely, and the funky bass line that comes underneath that guitar riff has a prominence to it that truly pops. The breathy vocals on this track go extremely well with the floaty nature of the instrumental, making the track so cozy. ‘Optimist’ is an additional example of REYNA taking a retro sound and making it fresh, inviting, and balmy in the best way.
In terms of the tone of the melody, ‘Limoncello’ almost feels like an extension of the song that comes before it. Instead of having a Y2K element to it, though, this one has a sound that brings it back to the early 2010s. There is something about the way this instrumental is arranged that calls to mind bands like Magic, Omi, and Nico & Vinz. This was an era where Reggae Fusion came back to the forefront(in a different way than the 1990s type of Reggae Fusion we heard earlier in the record), and this song has a beat and tone that makes me think of that kind of music. As far as the melody goes, the main difference between ‘Limoncello’ and ‘Optimist’ is that the bass line is even more pronounced on this track. Whereas on ‘Optimist’ it feels like the bass line complements the guitar riff, on this track, it feels like the bass line is the driving force, and the guitar melody and other sounds that come in are the complement. ‘Limoncello’ contains my favorite vocal performance of the record so far. ‘Limoncello’ contains the most prominent and bold vocals of the project to this point, and they make the song pop. ‘Limoncello’ is such a pleasant and pretty track that will put anyone in a good mood when they hear it. REYNA closes out Limonada with the song ‘Lemon Tree.’ This is probably the most low-key and laid-back song of the EP(which is saying a lot because the whole EP is pretty calm). This song has an early 2010s Alternative Rock tone that is fused with Folk-Pop that sounds inspired by the late 1990s. I can hear elements of bands like the Neon Trees on this track, but I can also hear influences from artists like Norah Jones. The melody for this song, which is put over a very subdued and soft beat, is extremely welcoming and dazzling. The keyboard riff that drives this melody has a sparkling tone, and the guitar riff and bass line that complement it give it a bit of weight. I enjoy the vocal performance on this track even more than the one on the previous track. The range in the vocals of ‘Lemon Tree’ gives it so much life and makes the ethereal feeling of the song feel so prominent. ‘Lemon Tree’ is a great way to end this project, as it brings Limonada to a conclusion on a tranquil and peaceful note.
As I mentioned in the introduction, REYNA has been a staple in the Milwaukee Alternative music scene for many years. They have always been considered an eclectic and wide-ranging artist that can appeal to so many kinds of Alternative music fans. With Limonada, REYNA continues this notion, making it easy to see why they have always been held in such high regard. Limonada is a mellow and gratifying EP that shows how diverse REYNA can be with their music. Even though every song has a different sound and seems inspired by different artists, every track still flows together super well with the last track, giving the EP an all-encompassing feeling that makes it so nice to listen to all the way through. Limonada is a great EP that proves REYNA is still one of the most important artists to come out of Milwaukee, and it makes me so excited to see what they do next.
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