introvertback to the start – oblik obloki
The verdict
“oblik obloki's 'back to the start' is a stunning debut, turning emotional whiplash into something gorgeous and groove-filled”
'back to the start' opens with bitterness that feels lived in, lyrics sitting right in the chest before the second verse shifts toward something softer, more reflective. this one's produced like a dream, and there's a clear care in how sonam plomp and lennard vaarten have built it. musically, there's a hint of alt-r&b, jai paul and a touch of indie. the artwork is fantastic, and the video, filmed and directed by rob willemsen, matches that energy beautifully, featuring lennard's choreography alongside dancers peishan xu and lin li. it's an absorbing and wonderfully human debut.
oblik obloki are an experimental music project from utrecht, netherlands, formed in 2026 by sonam plomp and lennard vaarten. both contribute instrumentation and production, with vaarten on vocals, and 'back to the start' actually grew from an instrumental demo sonam made before the duo officially came together. for a project this new, they sound remarkably assured. we love it.
thank u for making this oblik obloki 🌀