REVIEW: Alice the G00n — In Time: Chapter Two — The Road Trip from Hell (SINGLE)

Described on her YouTube channel as a “vocal assassin” who is creating “haunting, driving Rhythm & Dance music”, Alice the G00n,, is simply put a postmodernist entertainment original. In an era where major labels are bested by independents, independents by self-publishers, and by those dominating the algorithms with self-made channels, platforms, and other forms of interaction rising them to cultural prominence, Alice marries both professional poise with a kick-ass, punk rock, decidedly underground and verité feel.

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/alicetheg00n

Alice is that rare kind of artist who feels limitless — and more importantly, is limitless — courtesy of her publishing her content on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and her personal website. Her stuff feels immediately emo, intensely personal, and yet slick, cold, no nonsense, and decidedly femme fatale dangerous. It’s a welcome relief from the excessive confessional tonalities of those who have come in similar guises before her. With Alice, things are fun, matter-of-fact, dangerous, toxic, and visually the aesthetic of her music videos calls to mind both the work of filmmakers like H.P. Mendoza or Larry Fessendessen, coupled with the arthouse ick of a Jim Jarmusch or Pedro Almodovar.

Contrasting these aforementioned qualities is Alice’s genuinely enchanting, siren-like vocals. While the beats are strong, the synths sing, and the bass probably will sound best cranked up on the best party speakers you can find, it’s her voice that provides a nice, contrasting respite from an overemphasis in certain capacities, or just an entire production value overkill. The lyrics to boot add to the decided femininity with which Alice the G00n chooses to project her singing voice, complete with lyrics such as those appearing in her new internet single In Time: Chapter Two — The Road Trip from Hell. Simply put, I drive alone/I drive alone/To earn my highs, survive my lows. Until I find my heart at home.

All while the persona Alice initiates in the video drives with a man — presumably representative of one of the lyrical ‘demons’ — locked inside her trunk. Every now and then the music video cuts to images that almost conjure to mind the work of avant-garde pop acts like Ladytron, Daft Punk, or even Marilyn Manson. Alice remains an offbeat entertaining presence, never dipping into the pop equivalent of shock rock, or horror-themed heavy metal. If her collagist influences call anything to mind, it’s a Quentin Tarantino-type deal, rather than an out-and-out Takashi Miike, although there are references to that sort of aesthetic as well.

In spite of visual influences, Alice the G00n’s work as a whole immediately registers as wholly original. Maybe it’s the cars. Maybe it’s Alice’s brightly colored hair. Or maybe it’s simply that she radiates authenticity, a straightforwardness that’s been missing in the mainstream music circle, or Top 40 hit songs. Either way, part of the fun is realizing Ms. Alice is just getting started. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Colin Jordan