Are You There, Boy? is the debut album for the Norwegian singer-songwriter Beharie, but the music he presents here sounds like he has been around for years, why?
Simply because his brand of orchestrated R&B and soul in combination with some exquisite baroque pop sounds and touches of Brazilian MPB feels like he’s been around for years, and it could ensure that we will be able to hear from him for years to come. Of course, his previous three EPs (from 2019 to 2021) have certainly helped him refine his art.
While the themes he presents here might be something that is considered as ‘usual’: love, self-doubt, desire, longing, and pain, Beharie wraps them up into some textured and delicate music with excellent arrangements, from the basic rhythm section to subtle strings and backing vocals over which he comes with his charming, sometimes heart on his sleeve vocals.
Beharie explains, “This album has given me the opportunity to delve into various aspects of my own identity, and in the process, I have explored the complexity inherent in my personality and expression.”
Presenting such a concept through music can be a daunting task but Beharie seems to have mastered his art before he went into the studio.
In essence, with Are You There, Boy?’ Beharie has come up with one of the best debut albums of 2023.
