I often wonder if life is a reflection of is art, or perhaps symptomatic of life? For Oklahoma native Mothica the answer lies somewhere in between and her third album, Kissing Death, finds her drawing deep from the well of personal experience to create a collection of twelve tracks that are equally cathartic and challenging. Yet, by bravely baring her soul and putting herself through a kind of musical therapy, Mothica (McKenzie Aston Ellis) has produced an album that creates a sense of equanimity, not only for herself, but for the listener, too.

It seems that the album as an art form is undertaking something of resurgence; no longer a collection of singles, but a body of work in itself, it is a canvas that affords musicians endless possibilities and it is something that Mothica has grabbed with both hands. Of course, there’s plenty of chart-bothering action to be found on here (such as recent single ‘Doomed’) but overall, this album ebbs and flows like an old school album and should be handled likewise. Set aside thirty-five minutes for Kissing Death and let the artist drag you to some dark places; addiction, death and depression are just some of the topics delved into here, yet there are also moments of light to add moments of contrast which attract the listener like a moth dancing with a flame.

In typical genre-bending style opening gambit ‘The Void’ doesn’t really offer the listener an “in”, it’s a 90-second piece of musical concrete that defies easy explanation, and that indefinable quality is the thread that stitches this eclectic collection together. No two songs really inhabit the same sonic space as Mothica shapeshifts from the dark electronica of ‘Curiosity Killed The Moth’ to the pure pop (albeit, dark) sensibility of ‘The Reaper’, Kissing Death presents a dozen different Polaroids® from Mothica’s life; often they are deeply intimate, yet it is precisely that which creates a shared bond, meaning Kissing Death isn’t the type of album you put on as background music, rather cuts such as ‘Oblivion For Two’ demand your undivided attention, but in the realms of effort to reward ratio, it repays every ounce of exertion amply.

Belying its title, Kissing Death is a strangely life-affirming affair that shades its darkness with light, but if you want to dance with the reaper awhile, here’s your ticket.

• Kissing Death is released via Heavy Heart/Rise Records on 23rd August 2024.
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Track List:

1. The Void
2. Exit Plan
3. Another High
4. Doomed
5. Curiosity Killed The Moth
6. Red
7. The Reaper
8. Toxins
9. Afterlife
10. Mirage
11. Oblivion For Two
12. Kissing Death