GAD! Zine

         Call it glitch goth, bedroom pop, or some form of slowed down hyper pop. Whatever genre this EP fits in, it should be viewed as something unique and special. This is Akikzza’s (Kikky Jackson) second or third release but the first in its style. Ranging from the melancholy opening track “hello” to the partially hip hop tracks “lost” and “mom i made it”, both of which feature phenomenal verses from local rappers ZENCII and Rain Swann respectively. The glitchy drums and almost 8-bit instrumentation at times gives the record an incredibly original sound, especially when compared to other musical projects coming out the southeast region. Instrumental tracks like “busy” and “shroomie” offer intermissions of sorts between the heavy hitting pitch-shifted vocal bits that have on some listens brought me to tears. Lyrically, the EP adopts a consistent idea filled with well-crafted personal concepts that only Akikkza could write. In the spirit of concept records, al...

              COOL SPLIT ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      Lighthouse ’s “It’s No Time To Care” is a very cool song that starts like an early New Order tune. Mostly a very “clean” sounding recording, but the music wraps around and envelops ya like the best shoegaze always does . Dreamy stuffs. Also, this may be some of Jesse N.’s best vocals to date. “A Closed Door” is almost a counterpoint to the tune before it. Chunky garage-iness. The drums just pound the floor and rattle the lights. Of the two LH songs, this one’s the rocker, not to say that the other is a recliner.     Comic Mischief ’s “Baked Ziti” is a dizzy little dash of indie poppiness. Somewhere between the Smiths, early New Order, and The Dead Milkmen. In other words, they don’t sound like any of those bands but I like those bands, too, and I’m sleepy, so I’ll lump them all together. Dig those harmonies! “That time I almost died at The Coffee Bar in Gadsden, AL on Janu...