On her second album Nocturnal, American artist McKenzie Ellis aka Mothica dives into the night. The follow-up to her debut Blue Hour (2020) deals, among other things, with the self-destructive side of man. Even before her debut came out, Ellis turned her back on alcohol, but she knows that self-destructive side all too well. With Nocturnal, the singer wanted to make a real concept album. The album
… is divided into four acts that are performed by a fictitious antagonist: the Mothman. This one stirs up Ellis' intrusive thoughts. With whimsical rock music that stems from emo and punk, among others, the singer shapes this concept. Most of the songs stay under three minutes, which adds to the intensity the singers are trying to convey. Mothica's nocturnal whims result in a beautifully crafted concept album. (JvQ)more
