From the vibrant music scene of Vancouver, pop singer-songwriter and performer Reid Zakos delivers a dazzling 15-track album titled SACRED, a collaboration with RedPanda Productions.
This multi-talented artist brings his background in dance, theater, and songwriting to create a unique blend of pop music. Inspired by icons like Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert, Zakos infuses his songs with themes of self-empowerment and unapologetic queer expression.
SACRED is a journey through the world of 2010s-era dance-pop, offering a mix of high-energy bangers and intimate ballads. The album, five years in the making, showcases Zakos' growth as an artist and his ability to craft catchy, meaningful pop tunes.
Diving into the album, we're met with the enchanting, ghostly, and motivating intro track "Sacred Intro," a 44-second teaser of the epic sounds and styles about to unfold throughout the project.
In "Need Your Touch," we're greeted by an electrifying synth arrangement that's shimmering in all sorts of 2010-pop glory—melting the speakers from every angle. It's a powerful club banger that hits in all the right places, setting the tone for what's to come from the rest of SACRED.
The vibes in track three, "Deck of Cards," are hot, heavy, and immaculate. From the jump, Reid Zakos drenches listeners in a mysterious, dark, and irresistible sonic atmosphere that leaves us weak in the knees. As the drums start ramping up the energy, Zakos maintains the lustful, sexual energy while driving us to the chant-worthy hook. It's an exhilarating track that's sure to get you off your feet.
Turning up the emotion in "Won't Go," Reid Zakos showcases his impressive vocal stylings and broad range alongside soothing harmonies that balance out the song perfectly. As the rising synths and drums make their way in from the background, the song takes us through various sonic twists and turns to further display Zakos' artistic versatility and precise execution of carefully crafted musical visions.
In the 30-second "Animal Interlude," Zakos slaps our speakers with driving drums that get the energy pumping, not to mention haunting piano chords and the infrequent roar of a primal animal in search of a feast.
That brings us to track number six, "Nuclear," a truly nuclear experience on our speakers, thanks to its powerful synth arrangements and drums that keep the bass pumping high and mighty. And just like that Zakos claims that he's ready to go "Nuclear" and absolutely lose control tonight, making this another top-tier party anthem that's bound to make these sweltering summer evenings epic.
Track seven, "All I Know...," is lifting the vibe. It's a softer, slower, more introspective track that sees Reid Zakos express everything he does for a special person, highlighting his ongoing passion and devotion to them. While he lays it all on the line, the production ramps up a warm, house-like tropical feel to make this another perfect summer banger.
Making our way into the second half of the album with track eight, "Falling," we fall into Reid Zakos’ captivating sonic atmosphere. Here, he expresses the wonder and worries that comes with falling for someone else. Paired with the sweet sonics and lighthearted atmosphere, Reid has indeed made yet another summer bop that's ready to repeat in your earbuds on any vacation.
In track nine, "Flashes," we dive into an exciting, nostalgic, synth-pop atmosphere oozing in Gaga vibes, thanks to Zakos' picturesque, passionate lyrics and the powerful accompanying production. Whether you're getting ready for a night on the club scene or hitting up the rager next door, this track is practically made for good times.
There's only one iconic song titled "Rolling In The Deep," and Reid Zakos revived it in his own enchanting way. What starts as a downtempo, atmospheric, and gentle listening experience turns into a truly cathartic and heartfelt portrayal of emotions. Paired with the expansive sonics and Reid Zakos' unique interpretation, it's a refreshing take on a timeless song that perfectly fits the mold of this diverse, dynamic album.
Continuing the emotional theme is song eleven, "Who I Am," opening with stunning piano melodies that linger into the first verse alongside Reid's gentle, harmonious vocals. As he expresses how a certain relationship's impact, Zakos touches on the fact that had they just been 'passers-by,' he wouldn't be the person he is today. It's an insightful song and a perfect segue into this next one...
In track twelve, "Never Stop," Reid Zakos continues the emotional, personal theme with tender piano melodies alongside his warm vocals. He expresses his struggles with finding somewhere to fit in. But along the way, he's realized that his differences and experiences are what make him unique, and he'll "Never Stop" being himself—something every listener can learn from and appreciate.
That brings us to the last interlude of the album, "Monster Interlude," a striking auditory experience with haunting chants in the background, powerful strings, ghostly whispers, and melodies that feel like we're about to enter the battle of our lives.
It leads us into track number fourteen, "Unattainable," a mysterious, ominous, and anticipation-heavy sonic experience that sings of humans' greedy ways and always wanting what they can't have, leading them to "Unattainable" things, people, and pleasures. It's an eye-opener, driving home the importance of appreciating what's in front of you.
In the album's final track, "Spinning," Reid Zakos throws us into an exhilarating atmosphere packed with powerful synths and drums alongside his passionate, high-energy vocals. While singing crucial realizations that hurt like hell to experience, he closes the project on an empowering, groovy note, reminding us that the world keeps spinning, and we'll not only survive but thrive.
Hear it first here! Experience Reid Zakos' dance-pop journey in his newest album, SACRED, now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to Buzz, Reid! We're blown away by the energy and diversity of your new album, SACRED. What inspired you to create such an ambitious project?
Thank you! It’s so great to be back :) The inspiration for the whole album started with writing the song “Deck of Cards” with RedPanda Productions in 2019. It was the first song we ever wrote together, and it became the catalyst to keep writing together and exploring. After writing maybe three or four songs, especially "Falling" and "Need Your Touch", we knew we were onto something bigger. We just kept creating and sending ideas and demos back and forth to each other throughout the pandemic until we had enough songs to start forming an album! Once we had an overall vibe, we started crafting a few interludes that tied the songs together better. On other album projects of mine in the past, I’ve used a mix of a few different producers. Still, I knew I wanted to create a full project with RedPanda Productions because I had a sense it would feel and sound even more cohesive if it all came from the same producer, and we really took our time crafting it.
SACRED has a strong 2010s dance-pop influence. How did you balance paying homage to that era while still creating something fresh?
Yes! When we first met to talk about influences we both drew heavily from Lady Gaga (my queen!) and specifically The Fame/Fame Monster eras. When I first met RedPanda, he already had that kind of synth-pop and piano driven production style, also influenced by Marina & The Diamonds and other pop artists of that era. We arrived at the “fresh” part really by just infusing it with us and trying to stay original in terms of honoring the lyrics, the instinctual choices around melodies, vocal performances, the existing production from the demos, and then editing around it, or melding it all together into something new and "sacred."
You cover a wide range of emotions throughout SACRED. Was it challenging to maintain a cohesive sound while exploring these different themes?
I wouldn’t say it was challenging because we already knew we wanted to have a mix of uptempo, midtempo, and more intimate ballads. I feel like the album starts off really bold, in-your-face, sassy, and confident, but by the time you get to "All I Know" and "Falling," I feel like it shows off a softer, more "sacred" side of me, my voice, and my vulnerability in falling in love. At one point in the process, RedPanda said "I think what's missing now is a few more ballads", and then we added the song "Who I Am", which (so far) has gotten the most visceral response from people that have heard the album. I usually prefer listening to and performing the more uptempo dance bangers because I love to dance and feel free and joyous, but I'm glad that this one is resonating with people, it's been a nice surprise. The cohesion really started to take place once we picked the final tracklisting and created the interludes around that.
Can you tell us about your collaboration with RedPanda Productions for SACRED? How did their input shape the album? I first met Adrian (who goes by RedPanda Productions) through a local radio station (101.9 QueerFM Vancouver). Funny enough, he had heard an interview that I did with them, and then one day, when I was working at my retail day job, and I ended up helping him, and at the checkout, he said, "Are you Reid the singer!?". He then introduced himself and said he'd heard my music and my interview and he would love to write together. We followed each other on Instagram, and then a few months went by, and then we met for coffee. He sent me a couple of tracks he had been working on, and then I toplined "Deck of Cards" and sent it back to him.
Then we started to work together in person, finishing that song and "Falling" right before I moved back to Calgary temporarily (ironically right as the 2020 pandemic hit!). We then worked on a lot of the records remotely/separately. He had lots of input in shaping the album, starting some songs on his own with fully realized melodies and lyrics.
Sometimes, I would alter the lyrics and melodies slightly to fit my interpretation of the song and make it feel more authentic to me, or I'd write my own verses from scratch. Each collaboration felt organic, and we went with whatever worked best to serve the song. He'd even re-work his productions around my vocal ideas after I recorded them to his demos. Luckily, we got to spend more time together in person from 2022 on as I moved back to Vancouver and COVID restrictions lessened, finishing up a few more songs and finalizing ideas we had going.
After five years of work, what do you hope listeners take away from SACRED?
I hope mainly that they have fun while listening to it, feel free and liberated, and DANCE! and make space for honoring different life experiences and emotional journeys as "sacred."
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