Packed full of rowdy surprises and chaotically messy lyrics, British rapper JD Cliffe’s extended EP “NEW BRITANNICA” reinforces that the artist is spearheading the grindie genre — a fusion of grime and indie music. While his unique blend of indie rock sounds  and vigorous raps save the project, some poor vocals and poorly mixed sections make it a clear downgrade from his debut album, “misfit.”

Hailing from North West London, Cliffe is known for being a genre nonconformist, creating boisterous music which he first uploaded to SoundCloud before releasing his single, “Waistline,” in 2017.

“NEW BRITANNICA” opens with “NOTHING 2 PROVE,” a confusing, overwhelming track with too much going on to be enjoyable. The track begins with an awesome guitar groove and drum beat intro, reminiscent of a rock anthem. The first verse is intense in the best way possible, never giving the listener a second to breathe, but all hope is lost once Cliffe hits the chorus.

His delivery of the lyrics “I’m coming for you” sounds like he’s fighting for his life and running out of breath. This vocal strain doesn’t sound intentional or satisfying as it does in grunge music or screamo rock; it’s pure noise pollution, ruining a well-produced backing track. The intensifying and engaging beat is hard to appreciate in the context of the chorus.

However, the opening track doesn’t soil the rest of the EP completely; Cliffe redeems himself with “BREAK THE LAW.” Continuing the raucous rock-inspired grooves, Cliffe’s rapping is balanced a lot more effectively than the previous track, weaving his voice and other background vocals seamlessly with a fresh bass line and tight, accelerating drums.

Rapper Finn Foxell’s feature on the next track, “THROW UR SET UP,” doesn’t affect the quality of the track for better or worse, but it could’ve benefited from Cliffe holding this track up on his own. Foxell doesn’t match the pace of Cliffe’s raps, which can take the listener out of hype-mode for the limited time Foxell solos. Foxell’s EDM influence is undoubtedly present as different synth effects add dynamism to the track.

Cliffe chanting “throw your set up” in the chorus is evocative of a soccer chant. It helps the sound feel fully fleshed out, which elevates the track when competing with a minimally entertaining verse from Foxell.

“IT IS WHAT IT IS” stands out on the EP with a more mellowed-out atmosphere, featuring slightly calmer instrumentals, while Cliffe keeps the energy up with his straightforward raps, such as “Fuck them saying I can’t, I can.”

Boasting a more intense rap delivery, “FIGURE 8” is a loud cacophony of heavy synth sounds and a steady drum beat. But the track is unmemorable, and sometimes annoying. The lyric “Looking like a figure eight” is repeated more times than necessary, solely serving to fill the silence in between verses, proof that his raps aren’t always spot on. Rhyming “vendetta,” “deader,” “Hugh Hefner” and “bruschetta” is a bit of a laughable feat and a bit distracting.

“MIDNIGHT” is almost the weakest track on the project, second only to “NOTHING 2 PROVE.” It faces a similar issue as the opening track, as Cliffe’s singing voice brings “MIDNIGHT” down. While his vocals are more bearable than they are on “NOTHING 2 PROVE,” the chorus has him singing “Don’t stop pumping until midnight,” and is disagreeable to listen to.

The lead single off the EP, “3am,” is indisputably the best track. Well-paced and well mixed, the track features Cliffe’s most poignant lyrics off the project, especially during the song’s bridge, with lines like “You’re timeless / Can’t hide it / If I see you on the weekend, best believe that you’re mine.”

The chorus is also a major redemption for Cliffe, whose calmer singing of “Who’s taking me on?” elevates the track rather than detracts from it as it does on the opening track, “NOTHING 2 PROVE.”

Cliffe’s 16-minute EP isn’t perfect, but his grit is commendable as he proves himself to be an artist unafraid to take risks and pioneer a new sound. While he doesn’t always hit the mark, when he does, the result is a distinctive track that offers an avant-garde listening experience.