Rhye - New Waves

Over the last month there’s one song that has been slowly and seductively embracing the internet and the blogs to an extent where it’s easy to assume that the whole world must have heard it by now. The song is Open by an act called Rhye. This LA based duo are deliberately withholding information about themselves and their identity, explaining that they want people to be interested in the music, to see if it’s something that touches them, for no other reason than the song moves them in some way. Unfortunately Rhye has already failed in their attempt to let the songs speak for themselves, because as we’ve seen with many other ‘mystery band’ approaches over the last few years, all that happens is that the artist suffers from a wave of articles that ask ‘who are they?’ In Rhye’s case they’ve added further to the gossip by uploading a video for the song that features lovemaking and nudity, which certainly in countries that have a conservative approach to the way they think about the naked body such as the US and the UK, means that distraction away from the music is even greater. This is why it’s easy to be cynical about Rhye , for it seems that what they are saying and what they are doing are two very different things.

Yet ironically any cynicism that you may have is likely to wash away the moment you hear Open. Rather like Jessie Ware’s current single Running, Open is almost liquid music. It’s so smooth, with it’s strings, late night electronics and softly sung vocals that it’s virtually impossible not to be won over. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to be with someone in a shared moment of intimacy, right now.

So now that we know the music’s good, we suggest to Rhye that they reveal who they are as quick as possible. That way everyone can get over it and we can actually get back to doing what they want us to do; being beguiled by the songs.

Footnote warning : The video below contains some nudity.

Rhye - Open

Rhye - Open (Video)


Rhye - Open from Rhye on Vimeo.