Sombr's first album, I Barely Know Her, brings back what was missing from pop: raw honesty, lyrical sensitivity and irresistible stage energy. A project that is already making history
Sombr has managed to get the whole of New York City moving in no time. At just 20 years old, the artist steps onto a makeshift stage on Canal Street and the audience's voices fill the atmosphere like a siren. His first album, I Barely Know Her, was ready to be released in a few hours, but he wanted to present it first in the same streets that inspired it. People hanging from light poles, others in the open windows of apartment buildings, even bus drivers slowing down to take a look. The image seemed to perfectly encapsulate the album: unpretentious, passionate, steeped in the charm of the city.
The I Barely Know Her moves in a delicate balance between the realistic New York and its dream version. The single “12 to 12” is the most intense proof. A track that mixes intoxicating bass, swinging synths and razor-sharp percussion. Sombr, together with producer Tony Berg, weaves a story that makes the breakup seem almost attractive. “I know you want to see me in hell, my love,” he sings in a way that makes you think he doesn’t mind the plunge. A little later, however, the illusion collapses with a bridge that feels like a confession: “Maybe I’m delusional and your behavior is the most common thing in the world.”
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Sombr scatters such shocking admissions throughout the album. Like little pieces of truth that break in the fire of music. At the end, with “Under the Mat”, he says: “I learned to read her eyes and know when she’s lying. I saw her start to hate me”. A piece that seems like a mirror of the most difficult moments of love. And here stands out something that we rarely see in young artists: a self-confidence both internal and external, which makes Sombr seem more mature than his age.
At the same time, the naivety of youth is clearly visible in the questions that burn him. “Is it a crime to give so much love to someone that you end up with nothing left for yourself?” he asks in “Dime.” Anxiety and naivety coexist, creating a disarming mixture.
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Of course, there are weaker moments. “We Never Dated” loses a bit of the sparkle that characterizes the other songs, especially next to “Canal Street.” That’s the heart of the album: a heartbreaking ballad with bluesy guitar, bringing to mind Olivia Rodrigo and “Traitor.” And like her, Sombr respects the classic pop song, with each track exceeding three minutes and ending with a bridge that culminates in tension. “Come Closer” could have been the peak, full of melodic harmonies, but “12 to 12” remains the real highlight.
“Canal Street” is five minutes long and doesn’t waste a second. In its lyrics, Sombr seems to be asking an old love: “Are you still smoking on the balcony? Is your brother still in the hospital? Do you hear me screaming for you on the radio?” A mix of personal confession and public nudity, it’s a reminder of why music can be the most powerful diary.
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And all of this is connected to an already impressive trajectory: “Back to Friends” and “Undressed” paved the way, while “Crushing” which opens the album is full of unexpected musical elements. Everything shows that Sombr didn’t just come to pass. He came to change the situation.
At the album launch, he joked that someone wrote on his poster that “Rock & Roll is dead and you killed it.” His response? A dry “fuck that person” and a dive into the next track. The scene was strongly reminiscent of Matty Healy’s provocative performances with The 1975 at Coachella, when the screen read “Rock & Roll Is Dead.” If it is indeed dead, so be it. But pop is more alive than ever. And Sombr proves it.
