“The two hardest things to say in life are hello for the first time and goodbye for the last” – Behind Clouds. 

I came across the artist Behind Clouds approaching maybe two years ago and was instantly a fan. So, when Dustin aka ‘Behind Clouds’ reached out to me just over a month ago asking if I would review his upcoming release ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ (released on Friday 6th September) I was more than happy to accept. 

I listened to the previews he sent me, read the track titles ‘Almost Lost Myself Before I Found You’ / ‘I Can’t Promise It Won’t Hurt’ and the name of the 2 track EP, ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ and turned it off. 

When I’m doing a review I like to listen to the music at different times, with days, sometimes weeks apart from each other, just because I feel like I get a better overall idea of my experience that way. 

I listened (with headphones on)… and sure, it was classic Behind Clouds material: Beautiful melodies that gently sweep you away without you even realising it, delicate percussion that guides you through the dream world of his music with attention to detail in every moment – it’s fair to say I enjoyed listening to it and was excited to write my review. 

Then something unprecedented happened. I suddenly had to say goodbye to one of the most important people to me. No, seriously… to my daughter, who was now moving away.

A few days later I put my headphones on and listened to ‘Behind Clouds – A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ on repeat and was welcomed by a new experience.

I knew there was an emotional element to all of his music, one of his tracks that got to me previously was ‘Replaying My Youth’, but this was something else. Maybe it was because of what I was going through that I responded to the tracks like this, or maybe Behind Clouds is able to tap into what it means to be human through his music. 

When I asked him what the story behind the EP was he said, ‘a life full of sudden goodbyes was based on everything ever changing. That being said, a person will most likely be faced with sudden goodbyes in their lives. It is a subject I can relate to and hope to connect to others with.’

Did he know my life was about to change with sudden goodbyes and that’s why he asked me to review it? Of course not, but I did wonder while I looked out at the night sky listening to ‘I Can’t Promise It Won’t Hurt’. 

I’ve been fortunate up until this point in life to not really of said sudden goodbyes to people I love and care about, which is maybe why I initially missed the very real feelings present in both of these tracks.

Behind Clouds described the process in terms of memories. He explained how most of his work is based on memories or everyday life influences and how his music, in a sense, is like a journal that he shares with everyone. I really like that idea and I’m extremely grateful to him for sharing this with me and giving me the opportunity to journal my own experience. 

Artwork handmade by Lindsey Whitlow from yonderling

Check out ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ by Behind Clouds on Spotify below: