Review: She Rex by She Rex

When it comes to the recorded rendition of a band with a solid and often exciting live show, a release that fails to capture that spontaneous, live verve is a definite let down.

The all girl group She Rex play hip-hop influenced indie-rock with more than a hint of punk. Unfortunately, the biggest issue with their debut EP is that it sounds forced and it lacks any real feel.

The first track, “Prologue” opens as a spoken word piece that really brings to mind all the other spoken word you’ve ever heard. The vocals from front woman Nikkita Rast carry a good deal of attitude and snark but the attempted UK bite that she uses doesn’t mesh well with her natural voice and it feels like she could do a lot more by embracing her own sound.

The songs carry influences from Rage Against The Machine to the Beastie Boys, and the instrumentation feels similarly jam oriented and edgy. The approach is one not often heard in Australia’s hip-hop scene and it provides a nice change-up.

Frustratingly, She Rex don’t manage the hard hitting impact that they’re aiming for, and this is particularly apparent on “The Heist” where the down tempo beats make the vocals drag and on what could have been a more soulful song. “Get Yours” is the highlight, with a catchy swagger and a rebellious attitude that works well for the girls.

Ultimately, the songs here come across better live, and if you managed to catch them at their Oxford Arts Factory residency you can confirm their chops as a band. They’re an impressive live act with a lot of energy and they’re a group to watch, but they just aren’t there yet.