I got put onto The Internet sometime last year and I was immediately drawn to their incredible mix of R&B and soul. I was especially drawn to the groupโs lead singer, Syd. She had an almost unassuming, frank quality about her that melted into your ear drums. I could just tell that there was something special about her from the moment I first heard that incredible voice. So when I found out that she was dropping a solo album, Fin,ย it instantly shot up towards the top of my list for my most anticipated albums of 2017.
Syd doesnโt stray too far from the R&B/Soul sound her group plied onย Ego Death, which is a very good thing in my book, but she definitely adds a little more pop and aggressiveness to her solo proceedings. โShake Em Offโ, โNothin to Somethinโ, and โSmile Moreโ are almost indistinguishable from her work with The Internet, with their down tempo production, skillful instrumentation, and smooth melodies; they all have an almost lounge music type of quality to them. But right when I thought I knew what I was in store for, things quickly geared up with the bassy, more in your face pop songs like โKnowโ, โNo Complaintsโ, and โAll About Me.โ With โAll About Meโ, in particular, being a standout with itโs hypnotic synths, ad-libs, and hard hitting kicks, and โKnowโ almost having a Timbaland and Aaliyah-esque quality to it. The production is fantastic throughout and the range of styles and genres Finย covers from hip-hop, to R&B, to neo-soul is an impressive feat, and one thatโs only upstaged by their ability to make these combinations feel so organic.
โI pray for all my homies, Iโm lyinโ, at least I try
I say that sheโs my only but got you on my mind
Today Iโm only human, but know that when I die
My grave gone be my music, my soul is living through it babyโ
There was always something special about Sydโs voice that I couldnโt quite put into words, but after listening toย Fin, Iโd have to call it humble bravado. She doesnโt have the most powerful voice out there, but itโs silky smooth and the amount of confidence and comfortability she displays on every track is well beyond her years. Itโs effortless.ย The whole albumย almost serves as a proof of concept ofย everything sheโs capable of, and the fact that she sounds just as good on a neo-soul song like โSmile Moreโ, as she does on the hip-hop leaning โNo Complaintsโ, and as she does on the sensual โBody,โ proves that sheโs capable of just about anything. The skyโs the limit for her after this one.
Have you heardย Fin? Whatโd you think about it? Were you as impressed by her musical dexterity as I was? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your rating for the album.
