This EP is short, sweet, and cuts to the chase. It is not sweet because it is romantic; quite the opposite. Both tracks find Rio D lamenting about a lover who has scorned the artist and has now destroyed their relationship. “Double sided sword” is an embodiment of Rio’s frustration with lyrics talking about how their romantic interest betrayed them and their union – an underlying but very clear feeling of disappointment. In the most interesting way of using their voice as an instrument, Rio quietly admits that they gave all their power to their partner to break them and that their heartbreak is likely from giving their heart over so freely. I appreciate the representation of how heartbreak ebbs and flows truly.
“Heel” really represents the rawness of the confessional element of these two songs in both production, the texture of their voice and lyrics, Rio sings, “You can do what you want, just not at my expense” and although the guitar is louder than their voice here, the anger is clear in both their voice and the simple but aggressive guitar. It is as if Rio has come to a reckoning and bitterly accepts it but accepts it nonetheless.
Written by Nthatile Mavuso
