Dig up those black skinny jeans and eyeliner from high school because Riot Collective are introducing a blend of modern indie rock guitars with a raspy emo vocal in new single, “Don’t Count Me Out”.
Developed in 2023 after playing guitar and bass for a series of other musical projects, Brett of Riot Collective desired a new way of bending through rock genres. The project’s name represents their continued appreciation for collaboration, especially evident in their previous releases. They note the importance of unifying a collective of strengths in seeing through their work as opposed to working alone.
While their debut EP, Instrumentals, Vol. 1, released in May of 2024, reflects this sentiment with the feature of Hereafter and the collaboration with Quinn S., “Don’t Count Me Out” carries on such a philosophy: the pandemic offered the artist an opportunity to utilize the digital sphere to reach out to The Dangerous Summer’s AJ Perdomo to collaborate on both singing and songwriting for this track.
“Don’t Count Me Out” shines for its powerful vocals layered on top of a softer touch on the typical electric guitar choices found in the pop punk or emo scene. This new convention of sound is what makes this project stand out. While their previous work focuses primarily on instrumentals, this new song’s inclusion of an overlay of vocals exemplifies Riot Collective’s capacity to dive into storytelling from both an instrumental and lyrical perspective. Riot Collective have commented on the song’s meaning, touching on self-doubt and exceeding odds. The hopeful message stems from finding one’s ability to move past doubt and recognize their abilities, with a powerful chorus highlighting “I’m on my way back again / And this is a warning to myself / Don’t count me out yet / I want to see it through to the end.”
Riot Collective is approaching early aughts nostalgia with a modern twist in this new single, catering to pop punk enthusiasts and rock lovers alike. Fans of bands such as Grayscale, The Dangerous Summer, and Movements will love this new take on the emo structure.
FOLLOW RIOT COLLECTIVE: Spotify // Apple Music // YouTube
FOLLOW AJ PERDOMO: Instagram // Spotify // Apple Music
