2018 has been a transformative year for Wicca Phase Springs Eternal. The performer, whose real name is Adam McIlwee, has been slowly picking up speed in the emo rap scene, and seems poised to take over the genre.
A big part of this comes from association. The Scranton native is a member of Goth Boi Clique, a loose collective best known for its late member Lil Peep. As I’ve already covered in a previous review, Peep was one of the biggest names in the genre at the time of his death last November, and his meteoric rise to fame led to his group gaining more attention.
Wicca Phase, a former member of the nationally popular Scranton emo band Tigers Jaw, has found himself in a position where he is one of the more prominent members of the collective. And that can’t be chalked up only to association; Wicca Phase’s music has always been the most conceptually rich of the group. Perhaps this is owed to his band background, but the music Wicca Phase put out always felt more put-together than that of other members of the Goth Boi Clique, often even eclipsing the group’s megastar, Lil Peep.
That trend continues on his newest EP, “Spider Web,” released last week. The project is his second EP of the year, having previously released “Corinthiax.”
“Spider Web” is less conceptual than “Corinthiax” — the latter EP examines the story of an evil being that’s been occasionally mentioned in his lyrics, while the former focuses on more traditional emo story lines.
But the latest release is still an interesting experience.
To me, it feels like the artist’s most musically complete work. The production from Clams Casino and Fish Narc is lush and engaging. The EP’s opener, “Mystery,” features some incredible vocals from the performer. His voice is multi-tracked, giving the impression of him singing in a cavern.
The creepy, occult sound is one that prevails throughout the short record. On the title track, eerie organs float in the mix over rattling trap beats, accompanying Wicca Phase’s ghostly voice.
The EP is an impressive entry into Wicca Phase’s discography. If the artist continues on the trajectory he’s currently on — which includes working with big name artists like Lil B — his next full-length project could easily propel him into full-fledged stardom.
