The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that "a walloping beat defines every track, [Debora] Iyall's vocals are smoky and spirited and there are some wonky sax breaks throughout."[5]The Wall Street Journal deemed Instincts "an album of polished, haunting music that lingers with you, like the aftertaste of cognac or the memory of a lover."[6]The Globe and Mail praised Benjamin Bossi's "searing, jazz-tinged saxophone," writing that "the band sounds like nothing else that has gone before."[7]Trouser Press concluded: "Mixing strength with beauty, Romeo Void makes very special dance music for the mind."[8]