Artist: sombr
Album: I Barely Know Her
Genre: Indie Rock, Pop Rock
Release Date: August 22, 2025
Label: SMB, Warner
You might not know the name sombr, but you’ve probably heard his music. The 20-year-old artist, Shane Boose, had a quiet hit in 2022 with “Caroline.” It was his more recent track, “back to friends,” that truly blew up, dominating Spotify’s Global charts and landing on the Billboard Hot 100. It proved he knows how to capture a specific feeling that people are ready to hear.
This new album is raw. Across ten tracks, it’s an unfiltered look at love, loss, and the confusion that follows. Sombr wrote everything himself, so it feels more like a diary than a commercial release. He worked with producer Tony Berg (known for his work with Phoebe Bridgers), which tells you this album is all about authentic, emotional sound.
The album kicks off with the hit “back to friends,” which nails the impossible feeling of trying to downgrade a relationship after you’ve shared a bed. From there, it dives into the gray area of modern dating. “we never dated” could be an anthem for anyone stuck in a connection with no label but plenty of feelings. Other tracks like “i wish i knew how to quit you” and “come closer” explore that same limbo of being loved only halfway, with lyrics like, “Never mine, but I was always yours.”
The second half of the album deals with the fallout. “crushing” tracks the brutal end of a relationship, while “canal street” shows how a physical place can be ruined by memories. The most stunning moment might be on “undressed,” where he admits a deep fear of starting over with someone new, singing, “I don’t want the children of another man / To have the eyes of the boy I won’t forget.” It’s an incredibly specific and raw line.
The album doesn’t give you a clean ending. Songs like “under the mat” leave the door open, which feels true to the messy relationship it describes.
What makes I Barely Know Her work is its honesty. Sombr isn’t trying to sound perfect; he’s just putting the confusing feelings of modern romance out there. He gives words to feelings many of us have but can’t always explain. This debut solidifies him as a vital new artist, and the album is an invitation to look at our own complicated romantic histories.
Tracklist
- crushing
- 12 to 12
- i wish i knew how to quit you
- back to friends
- canal street
- dime
- undressed
- come closer
- we never dated
- under the mat