Gothika

“There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand”

Life is a troubled experience and how we choose to react to it is entirely up to us. Some strange unexplained situations can completely blindside us and take us to depths we have not seen or heights we had not dreamed. As dark as life gets a single source of comfort that is universal is music/art. This form of solace can be with a single image from a painter, a melody from a composer, a set of lyrics from a writer or all of the above. The music/art that resonates with a person happens to be based on experiences and emotions held deeply within their psyche and with that it can hold so much power to release or transform emotion.

The project by Xilla titled Gothika explores that realm in which people experience life at full force and how one artist manages to use music as catharsis. Gothika has dark undertones, an uncertainty, a complicated approach to a shared experience, and weaves this together through his production, writing and performance of this art. The entire project rejects the conventional thoughts of what hip hop is and creates a new lane for himself in the Southwest. His music is rock/metal influenced with just the right balance of Southwest hip hop vibes and overall hip hop cornerstone stylistic creativity. This project will buck the traditions of music and show fellow artists that music is personal, deep and relative, and it demonstrates to fans that hip hop is not a monolith but an ever evolving musical creation process that will continue to dominate the airwaves. This project has high replay value to dissect its meaning to relate to its emotive responses and to overall enjoy a new approach to hip hop in our community. Check out the project in its entirety here and keep an eye out for more coverage in the Southwest.