The Finnish dark folk project Nobody will release its new EP, The Birds Know, on November 12, 2026, via Inverse Records. The first and only single, You Don’t Get To Love, is now available on streaming services. The release consists of four songs and continues the project led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tuomas Kauppinen. On the three opening tracks, bassist Eliel Norkola-Smith also contributes.
The presentation of the release highlights two thoughts side by side: a stance against xenophobia and a tribute to Mali and the ancient Mandinka kingdom. In his accompanying comment, Kauppinen describes a dedication aimed at hostility toward people who look, behave, or speak differently. This gives the presentation a clear social emphasis, depicting differences as something to acknowledge rather than a reason for exclusion.
Kauppinen also refers to a story about musicians who take instruments from the gods and bring them to humanity. This is his artistic depiction of the tribute, not a verified historical account. In that context, music assumes a central role in the statement: the instruments become a way to introduce something into the shared human experience. The reference to Mali and the Mandinka kingdom thus forms part of the declared conceptual framework of the release, rather than serving as a basis for attributing specific musical influences to the recordings.
A solo project with a clearly defined bass contribution
Nobody is still described as Kauppinen’s one-man project within dark folk. He is responsible for all compositions and lyrics on The Birds Know, and his listed musical roles include vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. These credentials make him the central creative force of the release, both in songwriting and in instrumental performance.
Norkola-Smith’s participation brings a concrete collaboration to the arrangement. He plays bass on You Don’t Know Them, You Don’t Get To Love, and Drugs And Gods, the first three songs in the track order. The distinction is worth noting: a project organized around a single musician can accommodate an additional contributor without altering its fundamental identity. Here, the presentation specifies the participating musician by name and the exact scope of his contribution.
The EP’s complete tracklisting is:
- You Don’t Know Them
- You Don’t Get To Love
- Drugs And Gods
- Incognito
The choice of You Don’t Get To Love as the only single makes the second track the advance introduction to the EP. In the track order, it sits between You Don’t Know Them and Drugs And Gods, within the sequence of three tracks on which Norkola-Smith participates on bass.
The first two titles both feature a direct second-person address. The linguistic connection is visible in the tracklisting but does not provide evidence of a common narrative. Alongside Kauppinen’s comment, it contributes to a presentation centered on how people view and address others. By separating the formulation of the titles from the artist’s explicit statement, the description of the release’s themes remains anchored in what he has actually conveyed.
