About Sound

BLINO is the re-invention of Tobias Robertson, a Newport singer-songwriter who burst onto our TV screens in 2016 when appearing on The Voice. And I know, I know, one of the reasons for this pseudonym may have been the constant connection with the show and the desire to move on, but it does bear repeating for context of what I’m reviewing and the talent and credentials he has as an artist.

Blino means tired in Welsh. It’s one of the few words I know in Welsh because my girlfriend, Chels, takes Welsh lessons and her favourite phrase it dw’in wedi blino. Dw’in wedi blino means I am tired. She says it two or three times a day. She’ll hate me for this.

Growing Pains had me from the opening bars. Reminiscent of something from Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens, but obviously not that sad, nothing’s that sad. It has a yearning, melancholic feel. It’s warm and familiar, but fresh like the first days of spring. Oh, how I long for spring on this these dark, wet November nights!

The lyrics match the melancholia of the music, the chorus scarily relatable “Is it always gonna be this hard, there’s no manual, no guide to follow, I struggled here from the start, these growing pains are getting old”. Man, this hits hard. But when the strings join in…it is pure bliss. In fact the arrangements are another factor as to why this self produced song is such a wholesome listening experience from start to finish.

There has always been a maturity to Robertson’s voice, that of someone years older than his actual age and his song writing has always matched that. Growing Pains, however, is another level again and see’s him reaching new heights. This feels like a brand new beginning for BLINO and one that he can use to springboard from. What happens next is a really exciting prospect for one of Newport’s finest artists and that excites me.

‘Growing Pains’ is out now on all of the usual streaming platforms. Give BLINO a follow on socials to keep up to date with all things BLINO!

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Gavin Facey – 14/11/2025