Rina (EP)

Rina (stylised in all caps) is the debut extended play by Japanese-British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama. Also described as a mini album, Rina was independently released on 27 October 2017.[1] Sawayama funded the album herself, working for "2-3 jobs at a time for years" to save enough to release the EP.[4] Sawayama promoted the album through the Ordinary Superstar Tour in 2018.

Rina
EP by
Rina Sawayama
Released27 October 2017 (2017-10-27)[1]
Genre
Length24:53
LabelSelf-released
Producer
Rina Sawayama chronology
Rina
(2017)		 Sawayama
(2020)
Singles from Rina
  1. "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome"
    Released: 17 March 2017
  2. "Alterlife"
    Released: 21 September 2017
  3. "Tunnel Vision"
    Released: 24 October 2017

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[2]
The Line of Best Fit8.5/10[1]

Rachel Aroesti of The Guardian called the EP "nostalgic" and capable of "shepard[ing] pop into the future." She praised "Alterlife" as a highlight and called it a "double-speed power ballad, replete with twinkling synths and an industrial guitar riff" and compared it to Grimes' 2015 album Art Angels. She also compared "Ordinary Superstar" to Britney Spears and Hannah Montana, with the former exerting heavy influence over the EP as a whole. Saam Idelji-Tehrani of The Line of Best Fit also praised Rina, saying "Although Sawayama’s mini-album is one laced with nostalgia, she intelligently uses 90s pop and R&B as a canvas to paint 21st Century missives on internet addiction, alter-ego dependence and the gratification found through web-based validation." Idelji-Tehrani compared "Take Me As I Am" to "NSYNC-inspired power pop" and "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" to Butterfly-era Mariah Carey.[1]

In their list of the Top 20 Best Pop and R&B albums of 2017, Pitchfork ranked the album at number 19 praised Sawayama for her wide array of influences including experimental J-Pop, Neptunes, Britney Spears, and synthwave, saying she has "a knack for them all".[5] Dazed also ranked Rina as the 10th best album of 2017.[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Rina Sawayama and Clarence Clarity, except where noted. All production done by Clarence Clarity except where noted.[7]

Rina track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ordinary Superstar"  3:47
2."Take Me as I Am"  3:26
3."10-20-40"  3:15
4."Tunnel Vision" (featuring Shamir)
  • Sawayama
  • Justin Tailor
  • Shamir Bailey
Tailor3:36
5."Time Out (Interlude)"  1:00
6."Alterlife"  4:04
7."Through the Wire (Interlude)"
  • Sawayama
  • Tailor
Tailor2:03
8."Cyber Stockholm Syndrome"
  • Sawayama
  • Clarity
  • Tailor
  • Clarity
  • Tailor
3:42
Total length:24:53

Charts
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Japan Download Albums (Billboard Japan)[8] 40

References
  1. Idelji-Tehrani, Saam (2 November 2017). "The future's bright, the future's Rina". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  2. Aroesti, Rachel (21 December 2017). "Rina Sawayama: Rina review – R&B-fuelled peek into the pop future". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. Mylrea, Hannah (17 September 2020). "Rina Sawayama – 'SAWAYAMA' review: deeply personal self-portrait lays waste to genre constraints". NME. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  4. Sayayama, Rina [@rinasawayama] (16 August 2019). "I felt the pressure to lie about my age in this industry but that would disrespect my journey !! read PPS at Cambridge age 19-22, then dealt with crippling mental health issues for years into my mid 20s, worked 2-3 jobs at a time for years until I could save up for the RINA EP" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. St. Asaph, Katherine (19 December 2017). "The 20 Best Pop and R&B albums of 2018". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  6. "Ranked: The best albums of 2017". Dazed. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  7. "Rina by Rina Sawayama credits". Tidal. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  8. "Billboard Japan Download Albums– July 8, 2019". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
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