A little bleeding doesn’t seem to be phasing electronic singer DeathbyRomy, who proves once again she’s a one-person industrial factory on her latest single, “Even If It Bleeds.” Released ahead of her upcoming headline tour in Europe, which also happens to be under the same title, the track is another win for fans of Romy’s previous three albums. But while “Even If It Bleeds” might not come as a surprise to those tracking her career thus far, she still exudes gothic seduction unlike any other artist working together, serving as further proof she’s an idiosyncratic iconoclast challenging traditional pop and electronic conformities.
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Best described as dark techno, the song wastes no time with a bass-heavy synth arpeggio encroaching at speeds that would be perfect for a thriller movie soundtrack. Not too long after, war-waging drums come into the picture and ricochet in multiple directions all at once. Best of all, Romy’s impassioned vocal performance is not lost in the fog of industrial rioting, singing with the weight of the world on her shoulders and screaming like a banshee on backing vocals during the chorus.
On the visual front, the accompanying music video is as gothically twisted as the cover art suggests it to be. Elaborately choreographed amid empty spaces and flashing lights, it captures exactly how the track might appear had it been repurposed for the background score of a horror movie. Dressed to kill in bloody dominatrix garb, Romy finds herself hanging from ropes, tangled up in a green anaconda’s grasp, and underneath red waters.
True to the lyrics, Romy is “livin’ to die” and endlessly devoted, whether to a partner or, more importantly, to her music. That mission works in her favor, reflected by the symbiotic relationship between her and the more than substantial catalog she’s amassed over the years. Perhaps that makes songs like “Even If It Bleeds” distinct from other artists attempting to take on similar aesthetics. The prime example is the instrumental, which matches her intensity at every move and surrounds the underlying dark techno beat with heavy distortion. But looking beyond that, it’s her unflinching vision that seems to have no bound if her European tour is any proof.
Words: David Sosa
“Even If It Bleeds” by DeathbyRomy is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and live performances, including an LA date at the Teragram Ballroom on August 4, follow her on Instagram and her website.
