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South African rock trio Internet Girl strike gold with the release of their latest EP, ROLE MODEL. The six-track record sees the band and their collaborators traverse through indie, electronic, and hip-hop elements, clever lyricism, and distorted vocals to arrive at a unique sound that retains the high-octane energy they've become known for. This EP is a significant step in their evolution as musicians and people, using this body of work to commentate on various complex themes like parasocial relationships, mental health, drug use. and more.

The record's opener, "COKEHEAD," is a riotous ode to youth and poor choices. The band's heart-on-their-sleeve lyricism follows the life and times of a protagonist struggling to balance enjoying and ruining their own life through reckless decision-making. Heavy drums with unexpected sounds are cleverly placed to keep the listener intrigued from the start. As thrumming bass lines and angsty guitar riffs satisfyingly collide, the song's anti-hero realizes that his choices can harm him but does them anyway. Manchester rapper and artist Ezekiel thrives on the second verse, offering his perspective on the song's themes of thoughtless irresponsibility with lines like, "I'm just a fiend, I'm just a drug rat / My plug can't take it, blocked my number / My friends, they call me Mr. White Bag/  Stuck on my phone like, 'Baby, call back.'"

The title track, "ROLE MODEL," is a punchy, electrifying effort made all the better with its stellar inclusion of rising indie star Master Peace. Oozing supreme swag while radiating post-punk passion, the garage rock trio builds on their dark-toned bedroom pop, adding a piercing bass guitar to drive the track. The song looks at a cynical lifestyle through a rose-colored lens, with the record's anti-hero describing themselves as the furthest thing from a role model or a friend.

The EP closes out with the brooding "FIGURE IT OUT." Opening with the chorus, the protagonist finally comes to terms with the state of their life, crooning over the vibey production, "Uh huh, oh shit, man, it's that life switch / Man, shit got serious, I had to drop that corny shit." Although still harboring elements of despair and dishevelment from the previous tunes, there's a glimmer of hope and perseverance that trickles through, especially in 4TUNAT's impressive verse where he delivers lines like, "Gimme my heart right back / Can't live life with a real fake mess / Think I live life too fast/  Felt like a star when I took that tab" and "I'm tryna face this for a reason, I can't wear a disguise / No matter how long it's gon' take, just know, I'm ready to ride."

Overall, the track, especially on its final chorus, offers comfort to anyone listening who may be struggling to figure out how to turn their life around after accepting the consequences of their actions, ensuring them that although change may be challenging, "We'll make it out, it's a riddle / Yeah, yeah, we can figure it out."

Listen to ROLE MODEL below: