Several anticipated albums dropped on Friday, Aug. 22. New breakout artist Sombr released his emotional debut album. Laufey released a vulnerable, jazz-pop album that tells her own stories of both platonic and romantic heartbreaks. Mac Demarco also released an album that captured the topic of self-reflecting. Even though these artists have such diverse genres, each album can be tied together in that they all have emotional meanings and explore the hardship that comes with moving on from relationships.
“I Barely Know Her” -Sombr
“I Barely Know Her” is Sombr’s debut album that consists of 10 tracks total. I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this album, but I ended up really enjoying most of it. Sombr’s most recent rise to fame comes mainly from his songs “Back to Friends” and “Undressed,” which both went viral on TikTok. His single “Undressed” made its way to the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100.
His album explores the emotions that come with a tough break up. He especially dives into the deeper emotions that come with young adulthood, which I think lots of people can relate to.
“Undressed”
This track was first released as a single on Mar. 21. “Undressed” has been in my personal playlist for a few weeks now. I find this song to be intimate and real. “I don’t wanna get undressed for a new person all over again” this lyric gives a much deeper meaning to the word “undressed”. It really captures the feelings of not wanting to have to go through the process of opening up to someone in that intimate way. Personally, I think this song could easily be the center of the album.
“12 to 12”
This song stood out to me because it feels different, musically. It has a faster and more upbeat pace compared to most of the other tracks. The lyric “Was it always your plan to leave eventually?” digs into the feelings of doubt throughout a relationship. More specifically, Sombr questions if there was anything that could have been done to salvage the relationship.
“Back to Friends”
This track captures the feelings of wondering what to do after a breakup. It explores the bittersweet feeling of downsizing an intimate relationship to only a friendship, and if that end result is even possible. “How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” shows how painful it can be when someone you used to share most of your life with now looks at you like a stranger.
“We Never Dated”
This song is about being emotionally attached to someone without ever exclusively dating. It explores the feelings of frustration and confusion that can come along with these experiences. The lyric “We never dated but my heart still broke the same” validates that this specific kind of heartbreak is normal, but it can sometimes be dismissed simply because there isn’t a label on the relationship.
“Canal Street”
This song is the longest song on the album in its lengthy five minutes. It feels deeply cinematic to me because it shows how places and things can hold such deep memories of a person that are hard to shake. The lyric “Every corner of the city feels like you left a piece of you behind” solidifies this feeling. I think that this track is definitely one of the most emotional tracks on the album.
“A Matter of Time” -Laufey
“A Matter of Time” is Laufey’s third released album which includes 14 tracks. Her previous album “Bewitched” won the Grammy award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2024. I’ve always been drawn to Laufey’s mixture of jazz-pop and it makes her stand out amongst other artists. This album is another vulnerable album that explores self discovery through love and fear.
“Silver Lining”
This track was released on Apr. 3, and I have been listening to it ever since. I think that this song was a pretty good introduction to the album through its playfulness, but keeping the overall heartfelt tone. Love can feel intense. It can make you blindly willing to stick by someone’s side through anything, which is highlighted in the lyric “When you go to hell, I’ll go there with you too.”
“Tough Luck”
“Tough Luck” is another single that dropped before the album release. It made its way to streaming platforms on May 15. I enjoy the sassiness of this song, and it’s something we don’t normally get in Laufey’s other songs. I really like the lyric “You think you’re so misunderstood, the black cat of your neighborhood”. It shows how she believes this ex has earned his bad luck rather than being misunderstood.
“Snow White”
This song is one of the deepest and emotional songs I’ve heard by Laufey. It captures the way a person’s self-image can be altered from the way they think of themselves. The lyric “Mirrors tell lies to me, my mind just plays along” helps get that message across in the track.
“Clockwork”
I think this was the perfect song to choose to open up the album. It sets the dramatic and emotional tone that is consistent with the rest of the album. It shows a kind of regret that Laufey has for going back into a cycle she knows will hurt her again. She acknowledges these feelings, but simply cannot stop the cycle. “Time moves like clockwork, and I’m always a step behind” is a lyric I think most people can relate to.
“Guitar” – Mac Demarco
This is Demarco’s sixth studio album which contains 12 tracks. Demarco’s last album, “One Wayne G,” came out in 2023 and included 199 tracks. This album feels similar to the previous albums through his self-reflection, but feels just a little more laid back. I enjoy the softer vocals and the warm guitar melodies. The album captures feelings of calmness and reflection with simpler songs, but they still carry the emotional aspect.
“Shining”
“Shining” is the opening track for the album and I think it fits pretty well. It sets the tone of reflection for the rest of the album. This song focuses more on heartbreak and regret. The lyric “Don’t cry, what a wonder, look how far we’ve come” shows that while regret is there, you can still see how far you have come from that moment.
“Home”
This track was first released as a single on June 24. It jumps into the feeling that you sometimes can’t always go back to how things used to be. I think that the lyric “All those memories return, that I’d sooner let go, sooner than I’d go home again” captures that. This song feels very heavy hearted.
“Sweeter”
This song has a brighter background than the other tracks on the album. It comes off as apologetic and tender. “This time will be sweeter, I can be much sweeter” shows the feelings of hope and wanting to do better for someone.
“Terror”
“Terror” has a slightly darker tone compared to the other songs. It showcases feelings of fighting with personal anxieties. The lyric “All those days of trying to run, what a waste of breath” explores the feeling of being tired of trying to escape the things you might not like about yourself.
“Phantom”
This track was released on Aug. 19, just a few days before the album. “Phantom” is the shortest song on the album, being less than two minutes in length. This song feels slightly haunting. I do wish the song was longer because I feel like we could have gotten a more diverse track, but I understand the message of running away from emotions and maybe the shortness of the song adds to that.
