Perfect Darknessby Fink

Perfect Darkness marks the fifth release from British artist Fin ‘Fink’ Greenall and the fourth consecutive release with his self-titled Trio. Perfect Darkness maintains a similar ‘acoustic’ sound to that heard on previous albums with songs been largely driven by Fink’s acoustic guitar and vocals, subtly supported by the bass and occasionally the drums. The style of the music is best described as the love child of folk, blues and alternative. The opening song and title track is rich and complex – the vast orchestral soundscapes, trance like bass and drums and enigmatic vocal coming together to form a bizarre auditory puzzle that somehow left me feeling melancholic and hopeful all at once in the best possible sense. It sounds crazy I know, but trust me when I say that this sort of thing happens often when listening to Fink. ‘Fear is like Fire’ is a song about how one can use fear to either “warm your hands on it” or “burn your house down with it” – an enlightening concept. This song is a great showcase for the band’s masterful use of tonal contrast with the intro and outro having a dark & dingy sound, the chorus having a lighter more optimistic sound and the verses in the middle of the song striking a happy medium between the two. ’Honesty’ is a dark and gritty song that oozes anger and frustration and sounds to me like it is about a past relationship gone wrong. The lyrics “Just let me revel in your blue notes” a good example of Fink’s exquisite talent for writing. The bluesy “Wheels” recounts Fink’s origins in Bristol singing “I left old Bristol city/got my star in Bristol city/You’re never gonna quit are you?/Ever gonna slow down.” The songs on this album are expertly crafted, each one given the attention to detail they deserve. If you are looking for laid back music with more of an alternative edge then this is the album for you.