ReeToxA is lobbing a grenade right into the polite silence of the modern alternative scene. “Insta Life Donna,” a standout hidden gem from their debut album Pines Salad, is raw, personal fury into a track that’s irresistibly catchy and brutally honest.
This thing has synth, pounding drums, and great guitar/bass. But that description doesn’t do justice to the hurricane it creates. Imagine a wall of gnashing, melodic guitar work locked in a fierce duel with a bassline that prowls like a predator. The drums are a relentless assault, a pounding that feels like screaming into a pillow made of noise. And cutting through it all is that synth—a sharp, modern blade of sound.
So, what’s fuelling this fire? The inspiration is diabolically relatable. The track was born from the infuriating scenario of an interfering relative trying to initiate divorce and separation on my partner her sister-in-law. Yeah, you read that right. “Insta Life Donna” is the sound of watching a relative, freshly married, try to give priceless advice to her sister, all while not knowing what she is doing or talking about, effectively ruining peoples lives with her advice. ReeToxA takes this toxic meddling, this avalanche of unsolicited, life-wrecking “wisdom,” and transmutes it into a three-minute fury that you can sing and dance to. It’s genius. The frustration isn’t only described; it’s embodied in every distorted chord and crashing cymbal. Listeners can expect a total release. This is the song you blast after a day dealing with your own version of “Donna.” It’s fun, it’s aggressive, and it helps get out frustration.
Find “Insta Life Donna” on all streaming platforms. And for the true devotees who want to hold the anger in their hands, hit up Bandcamp for physical copies of the Pines Salad album. ReeToxA has given us a song for anyone who’s ever wanted to tell a meddling busybody to, well, let the music say it for them.