Birdguy - Niet Zonder Reden (2024)

"Niet Zonder Reden", Birdguy's debut album on Something Happening Somewhere, seems to revolve around unfinished business. The Utrecht-based artist evokes life events that have seemingly left him a little broken, a little lopsided, but with an eye for tender beauty. It's the portrait of a man in the progress of finding light at the end of a tunnel.

Songs flutter in and out of focus like passing thoughts on a long walk, seemingly cobbled together from fragments of melody and memory alike. "Ongeveer Daar" does not simply tell you about heartbreak, Birdguy's performance is drenched in it, and it hits you like a gut punch. Meanwhile, Birdguy's buzzing lofi beats keep the album moving along, preventing the listener from getting lost in the darkness. "Niet Zonder Reden" is bittersweet, earnest and keeps you on your toes throughout.