„Call my name out loud
Try to enjoy the sound
In the corner of a parking lot…“
Sings the Danish music artist Nemo at the beginning of the third track „Lonely Car“. I’m sitting on the terrace of an Airbnb apartment in Buenos Aires. A pleasant spring breeze is blowing, and I’m looking at a quiet street. Right across the road is a beautiful tree that will probably bloom in a few days. With this fresh air, Nemo’s music is incredibly pleasant to enjoy. It just fits together.
Nemo is the musical name of composer and producer Emma Ottsen Knudsen, known in Denmark as a member of the power trio Jenny, which is popular for its blend of punk energy and soft electronic music textures in a unique fantasy pop style. „Through her solo work, Nemo explores the vast mysteries of life – from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of space – always from a socially critical perspective that questions everything from symbolic meaning to technological progress,“ the press release aptly states.
Blue is the Color of Infinity (Rhizome) is an incredibly calming album. The artist herself states that the album acts as a form of self-care. I recommend listening to it with your morning coffee or tea, or with headphones during a walk in nature. In addition to acoustic guitar, ambient electronics, and indie/dream pop beats, the songs are accompanied by honest, light poetic lyrics. I like the singer’s simple writing style.
Felt the dew like silver rain in softer form
Melting the tower
Behind the curtain walls
Was a hint of another road
You decided to hike
As you felt the mask falling
And the meteor strike
Although the singer states in the label’s press release that the album is conceptually built around the theme of infinity, dissolving one’s ego, and understanding the larger context, this project strikes me as very intimate and positive. It’s not the kind of dark infinity that makes us dizzy. On the contrary, Nemo offers a warm, accepting version of this concept, as if infinity were right here, in our breath and in the blue sky above us.
The album’s entire sonic palette is built on a balance between the organic and the synthetic. Minimalist drums and pulsating, yet subdued bass lines form a stable foundation on which an ethereal layer of synths floats. Nemo skillfully uses ambient textures that add depth to the record, as if the music really comes from the depths of the ocean or a distant galaxy. The acoustic guitar, although unobtrusive, is key – its warm, woody tone acts as an „anchor“ that grounds the otherwise dreamy electronics and connects the record with elements of indie pop. The vocals are soft and direct, without exaggerated effects or dramatic highs, reinforcing a sense of sincerity and narrative intimacy. Nemo lets the music breathe naturally, with plenty of space between the instruments, which is refreshing in an era of crowded productions.
Nemo: “The color blue surrounds us. It slows our breathing and makes us blink less. We live on a blue planet, and we look into a blue sky. To me, the album feels like a still night, where the mirror-like sea reflects the stars, and I dive into the water to swim into the sky.”
On 9 tracks, the singer portrays her version of one of humanity’s universal inspirations. In some parts, I hear references, whether direct or indirect, to Royksopp (Melody A.M.), Warpaint (Warpaint, 2014), and Boards of Canada (The Campfire Headphase). Of course, the entire Copenhagen alt-pop scene, which has been experiencing significant media hype in the last year, cannot be left out. This sound (or aesthetic) together seems very refreshing, especially in the era of glitchy electronic songs, fast club music, or trap. Nemo does not deny current trends, but calmly filters and absorbs them.
Suppose you like Slovak singers like Jana Kirschner, Tante Elze, or Danish artists with a flair for alternative pop like Astrid Sonne, Fine, or Molina. In that case, you will definitely enjoy Nemo’s debut album, which is about depth and inner peace.
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