Just two years into their college careers, best friends Rex and Matt–also known as REXTRO and 56rez–recently unveiled a project that dips into a sound all their own and makes for a captivating listening experience.
After connecting in a Facebook group for incoming freshmen at the University of Washington, the duo connected over their love for music and wound up being roommates-turned-best friends. The California natives chose to combine their different stylistic backgrounds, and man, we are so glad they did.
Rex says:
“I’m a hip-hop artist with an indie producer. I came into college making rap songs, mostly finding beats on YouTube, and Matt came from a surf rock band in SoCal. Both of us are comfortable with our own styles of music, so instead of compromising for one another, we found a way to blend these two genres into a sound that is uniquely ours.”
Rex is most well-known for his 2018 single “I Lost All My Friends.,” which has garnered over 200,000 Spotify streams. He has put out a number of singles since 2018 and even debuted his first album TRO of All Trades in 2020. On his new EP Along the River Bank, Rex wrote and recorded all of the songs, and helped produce each song but one. Matt was the primary producer for the new EP, in which he recorded all of the instruments and crafted the melodies. Also involved were Griffin Hutchings and Case Macklin who helped mix the songs and influence their final direction before the July 1 release.
The EP is introduced with “Cheers to Us,” a three-minute, 22-second track that also happens to be the only one put out prior to the entire collection of songs. The music that kickstarts this song is upbeat, happy, and whimsical, something could be compared to that of Dayglow. Right off the bat, this song feels like summer. It’s something you want to bop your head to while simultaneously driving down the coast with the windows down. The cohesive manner in which the beats in the background match up with Rex’s voice makes for nothing short of a stellar piece of music. This track is something that can be so universally appreciated because you can’t help but start to smile while listening, and its fresh nature is what many of us may be seeking from our latest music fixations.
Speaking on the track, the duo notes:
“The opening song, “Cheers to Us,” was the inspiration to create the EP. We felt it was one of our happiest songs to date that defined where we were at in our life. The title refers to the two of us and represents the friendship we share and the music we’ve been able to create together since meeting in college.”
*Photo courtesy of Matt
Next up is “The Middle.” As soon as it begins, this song is noticeably quicker and immediately illustrates Rex’s rap background. He does something interesting with his tone and lyrics where a transition is made from rap to soft, swift vocals, then back to rap again. This multidimensionality makes for an engaging listening experience that is guaranteed to attract people from all music genres. The music is consistent and truly adds to the experience. It’s clear that Matt and Rex mesh well together and creatively combine their skillsets to produce something so uniquely their own.
On the contrary, “Window Was Cracked” is immediately slowed down and embraced by the smoothest guitar strums. However, don’t let that fool you because once Rex comes in with the vocals, an instantaneous juxtaposition occurs. He’s fast but not overwhelmingly so. It’s somehow still something you can bop your head to and once again, perfectly exemplifies their indie-rap style.
You know those songs that are filled with a certain sense of nostalgia and instantly bring you back to a specific time in your life? That’s what “Bamboo” does. It feels personal with touches like Rex’s laugh intertwined into the lyrics and moves in and out of what feels like a story being told. This song balances out the other three on the EP seamlessly and is a phenomenal way of closing out the four-song body of work. Our only complaint? We wish it were longer so that we could keep listening!
When asked if they had any plans for the future, the two promptly responded “silly question. As long as there are trees on this earth, we’ll be making music. Speaking of trees, almost a third of the world’s tree species are at risk of extinction, according to a new report. Sad.” The more you know! We are so excited about REXTRO and 56rez’s future together in music. Their passion for the music they’re creating is evident and is sure to take them far. We will be eagerly awaiting to see what that looks and sounds like.
Rating: 9.0/10
Stream Along the River Bank now.
Follow Rex and Matt on Instagram.
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