August 9, 2019
Om Records
Reptile Room is an electro-pop trio formed in Atlanta in 2017 by Bill Zimmerman and brother and sister Sean and Sami Michelsen. The three members do all creative work collectively, be it writing, recording and mixing, or editing photos, videos and designing art. Atwood Magazine recently wrote "With cuts that bridge the gap between laidback vibes and quiet introspection, it isn't hard to see why they've garnered attention... emotionally naked, confessional blends of electronic bliss." On their Om Records debut, Jade, each song has a its own message and its own meaning but overall every song becomes about being most honest with yourself - sometimes the truth can be a hard pill to swallow, and hearing it outside of your head & heart can help you actually hear it in a way that inspires change. You can regain yourself if you're lost. The band breaks it down below: 1. 'Games' is about a relationship gone wrong. It's gone completely off the rails become toxic, and you're now faced with this reality that you're addicted to this toxicity and the repetitive patterns it runs you through. You see that you've been a pawn in their game, but no one ever really wins. 2. 'Design' focuses on the feeling of constriction. The urge to speak is overwhelmed with the inability to properly express the feeling. "I can't find the words" rings out the sentiment. The want to communicate is there, but the ability to do so is not, and that's a complicated feeling. 3. 'Worlds' describes the feeling of being physically close to someone, but emotionally distant. Sami writes "You're the moon and I'm the stars...together, but we're worlds apart." 4. 'Control' is a rebellion. People will try and take from you, try to manipulate you for their gain and give you every reason why you can't do something. Tell us we can't do something and we're going to do it. 5. 'Midnite' tells the story of someone battling their vices and giving into temptation. Like the old story of an angel & devil on your shoulder. 6. 'Ghost' is about watching someone change to the point of being unrecognizable to you. The "living ghost" in the song represents that person - someone you used to know very well who has become something else, and can't seem to get themselves back. 7. 'Talk' isn't just about one person or one thing that happened, it's about everything that's left unsaid; every little thing that ends up seeping through your cracks and changing things, being without the things you want and need.