Review Summary: Pop star in the making.
Mothica plays pop in the same vein as Billie Eilish, Kerli, Halsey, and Dreamcatcher. Notably, Nocturnal is a collision of genres: pop with some crunchy rock bits, and industrial ideas. Her lullaby-like tones are more theatrical than creepy, but there’s certainly an effort to make a dark atmosphere. Yet, it’s not a gimmick, it’s a heartfelt character study, a personal journey of her issues with sobriety, sleep, and other relatable topics. Her music feels too much like an act - of course under the stage name of Mothica - cheapening her introspective, serious lyrical content, sounding like she’s trying too hard to create modern, edgy pop.
Her image aside, Nocturnal is a good pop album, but not good enough to go toe to toe with giants. Highlights are surrounded by interludes and generic pop songs on every side, seemingly to fill the album which has seventeen tracks. All the extra bluster distracts severely from an otherwise cohesive, and rather catchy album - CASUALTY and LULLABY are catchy as Hell. It stands to reason that Mothica is a good pop artist, just one that is lost in the overwhelming amount of tracks. Cool electronics, solid singing, and generally engaging songs await the listener, but there’s much to be improved upon before McKenzie Ellis (Mothica) becomes a household name.
Retrospective edit:
I didn’t expect it to happen, but this album grew on me. The Reckoning is one of my most played pop tracks of 2022. Songs on this album have a subtle catchiness about them that works beautifully with Mothica’s singing style and sleepy, somewhat creepy beats. It’s also been great for Halloween. I humbly offer Mothica an apology, she did great work and is deserving of a 3.5.
