Escaping From the Bubblegum feels like an album where strong ideas are constantly competing for attention. Skittles clearly have a vision—dreamy, synth-forward indie rock infused with emotional weight—but that vision is too often undermined by overproduction, crowded arrangements, and an imbalanced mix that works against the songs instead of supporting them.

From the opening track, “Beginning,” that tension is immediately apparent. Spacey keyboards, distant guitar textures, and a swelling bass line create a cinematic setup, but the vocals sit uncomfortably high in the mix, disrupting the slow build. When the full band finally locks in, the drums arrive with impact, yet the guitars disappear beneath the noise, and the payoff feels loud rather than powerful. The ambition is undeniable; the execution doesn’t quite deliver.

That push-and-pull defines much of the album. Tracks like “Pond” and “Bipolar” shine most when Skittles ease back. In these restrained moments, sparse bass lines, slower drums, and reverb-soaked guitars have room to breathe, allowing the band’s dreamy instincts to take center stage. The issue is consistency—once the synths swell and every element crashes together, the mix turns claustrophobic, making it hard to latch onto any single idea.

One of the album’s strongest assets is its female vocals, particularly on “Never Turn Back” and “BBANG!” Her layered performances cut through the haze with clarity and bring much-needed emotional texture. Unfortunately, even these highlights are often dulled by drowned-out drums or synths that dominate the sonic space, creating a sense of overload rather than immersion.

The album’s length further compounds these issues. Many tracks run longer than necessary, stretching ideas thin and making the overall experience feel bloated. Songs frequently take too long to reach their most compelling moments, and when they finally do, those moments are sometimes lost in the mix. Still, glimpses of what the album could have been emerge on more balanced tracks like “Denialism” and the title track, where drums, bass, guitars, and vocals finally coexist instead of competing.

Ironically, the album is most effective when Skittles sound less ambitious. On restrained cuts like “Youth Smash” and sections of “Unknown,” the mix settles, the songwriting becomes clearer, and the band’s identity feels more assured. These moments suggest how much stronger the record could have been with tighter editing and more disciplined production choices.

By the time closer “Icy Glass” fades out, that frustration lingers. The song begins gently and beautifully, only to be overwhelmed once again by oversized synths. It’s a fitting summary of the album’s central problem: just as something starts to click, it’s quickly smothered.

Ultimately, Escaping From the Bubblegum is rich with mood, creativity, and potential, but weighed down by messy mixing, overcrowded arrangements, and excessive runtime. Skittles have all the ingredients for something genuinely compelling—they just need clearer focus and greater restraint to finally break free from their own sound bubble.