The Australian-Canadian artist, Nemo Lakes, is in a league of his own right now and his album, “All The Cool Kids Die,” is pushing the boundaries of alternative rock, punk, electronic with blends of hip hop, and… you get the point. His music can’t be restrained and his style is unique to him, which is something music needs more of.

He takes inspiration from the likes of Gorillaz, Kid Cudi, and King Krule because that is what he grew up with. In this project, he brilliantly blends sonic aspects from each into a modern batch of 11 staggering songs. “STICKEMUP!” is the perfect beginning to the project because we dive right into everything that makes Nemo Lakes so unique. His songwriting is remarkable, the build up in the track is exciting, and of course the vocals are entrancing as all gets. Halfway through the song, it switches into a boisterous guitar riff that transitions perfectly into the next track, “Piggy Bank.”

“They’re Scared of the Kids” is another highlight for me, as it exemplifies more of the dynamic production and unorthodox arrangements throughout. My personal favorite is “NASCAR BB,” as he sings over this summery electric guitar with his usual hypnotic vocals. I love the psychedelic counter melodies that loop throughout as well. “Mothership” has rumbling basslines and some of Nemo’s most assertive deliveries, and the outro, “My Purpose Is…” is the perfect closure to this album, and it leaves me wanting more.

New artists should take notes on what it means to make a complete project with effortless transitions, meaningful songwriting, unpredictable arrangements, and vocals that you can’t stop listening to. Nemo Lakes might not be well known by the masses, but I can safely say he has one of the best projects to release in 2023 by far.

‍