If Jakobs Castle were a physical place, it would exist somewhere in the present that’s also rooted in history—and that’s exactly how Jakob Nowell approached the 14 songs that make up Enter: The Castle. As the son of Sublime’s legendary frontman Bradley Nowell, there is no denying that Jakob is influenced by his father’s music and legacy. However Jakobs Castle is anything but a nostalgic rehash. Instead these songs are remarkably cutting-edge while still retaining the keen sense of melody that endeared his father’s music to millions of people all over the world. Nowell has described the project as “mixing California’s past with the fresh mystery of internet underground culture” and that’s a good place to start. But it’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to the sonic and emotional depth of this varied collection of songs.

The 28-year-old Nowell got his start playing in the popular Southern California rock act LAW, however Jakobs Castle is an unfiltered version of his own musical identity which he created alongside producer and co-collaborator Jon Joseph. “I think that Jon was the guy who really helped me discover my sound because I would show him the synth sounds I wanted or what I liked for vocal effects and it became this affected cyber ska weirdness,” Nowell explains. Enter: The Castle may not feature palm-muted guitars or pick slides but in many ways it is a modern interpretation of punk, in the same way that Sublime organically incorporated elements of reggae and pop into their sound in the nineties. “I see the spirit of punk to be alive in what people today call hyper pop or bedroom pop, even if it’s not always aggressive,” Nowell explains. “I find that spirit of DIY ingenuity and trying to challenge social norms to be present in those types of artists today.”