The debut album from sombr arrives with the kind of shrug that feels oddly magnetic. Announced just weeks before release, ‘I Barely Know Her’ packages a breakup record in ear-pleasing alt-pop, balancing heartache with lingering infatuation and the restless tug of longing. It’s likely to connect with anyone who’s loved, lost, and found themselves stuck somewhere between the two.
What makes the record compelling is the way sombr shifts his tone. At times jovial, at others trudging through the motions of moving on, while keeping the songs consistently bright and inviting. Written and co-produced across ten tracks with Tony Berg (best known for his work with Phoebe Bridgers), the album bears far more punch than Berg’s collaboration with Bridgers. Here, the choruses feel more anthemic, the production helps carry sombr’s emotional weight without dragging it down.
The popular TikTok hits ‘undressed’ and ‘back to friends’ prove their staying power in album context, but they’re not the only highlights thankfully. Opener ‘crushing’ sets a brisk, confident pace, while ‘come closer’ may be one of the albums strongest tracks. It’s a rousing declaration of uncompromising love: “I can’t take loving you halfway” he sings, wrapped in the glamour of a dim restaurant and the unease of wandering eyes. The result is sugar-coated sound tinged with a little darkness, a portrait of obsession dressed up as a fun pop song, and the best encapsulation of the album’s all-or-nothing approach to love and desire.
Not every moment lands but it isn’t all bad. ‘canal street’, the longest track at just over five minutes, meanders slightly, softening the album’s momentum. Still, there’s something refreshing in its ambition as every song on the record surpasses the three-minute mark. You can call it a quiet rebellion against the stream-friendly trend of shrinking pop down to TikTok snippets for replay value. sombr gives his songs space to breathe a little (crazy for a three minute track I know but it feels like a luxury these days) and they’re better for it.
His voice adds another layer of charm: rich and nostalgic, reminiscent of a young ’50s crooner dropped into modern alt-pop. That quality shines on ‘we never dated’, where the chorus melody feels straight from another era, endearing in its sincerity. The juxtaposition of classic vocals with glossy, contemporary production is part of what makes him such an engaging new voice.
As debuts go, ‘I Barely Know Her’ feels remarkably confident, self-written, largely self-produced, and brimming with replay value. It transcends the TikTok virality that first put sombr’s name in circulation and instead introduces a fully formed alt-pop star in the making. If this is the shrug of his arrival, I can only imagine the weight of what comes next.
4/5
