Indie-pop singer/producer Rhett Rowan knows how to paint a vivid picture, even if it isn’t always the prettiest one. Her lyrics and delivery are reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s swooning portraits of old Hollywood lovers with questionable morals. Rhett Rowan’s “Really Good Rapper” starts off like a Del Rey ballad, too complete with a mention of Los Angeles. But Rowan’s heavier use of electronics separates her from the obvious comparison, and pushes her down a different path entirely by song’s end.
Rowan’s vocals are soon consumed and warped by a static effect that muddies up her longing notes. The use of the electronics enhances the emotion despite it sounding robotic. Soon Rowan and the machines become one, indistinguishable from the other. Enjoyably unsettling in an oddly melodic sense, listening to Rhett’s vocal devolution is impossible to turn away from.
