Fin

Syd is many wonderful things on solo debut Fin - singer, producer, all-around seductress—but most importantly, she is human, and her album is filled with all that entails.

In short, Fin is a mature, if slightly restrained debut. Unfortunately, there’s not quite enough here to get a true sense of where Syd’s long-term artistic vision will take her. Nonetheless, what Fin does, it does incredibly well - and with confidence.

Fin is a record of intimacy and confidence, a rare and sumptuous combination that Syd has pulled off quite remarkably.

Fin is a breakout party for a Syd, who seems grateful for those who have been supportive but has a keen eye on taking things to the next level.

‘Fin’ is one record in conversation with the others — a new model of creativity and one that has produced, at the very least, an excellent piece of work.

As hinted at by the record sleeve’s oceanic shadows, Fin has depths that only become more apparent the longer you spend engulfed in them.

Fin is short and sweet. And over the course of its 37 minutes, the music blankets you in a comforting haze for enough time to keep your senses stimulated.

Syd operates in her own, self-constructed sphere. Her vulnerability is acutely present, but it lies on her own terms. She breaks when she wants to, not when we expect her to, and it's this resonant sense of calculated, defiant intimacy that raises 'Fin' to eclectic new heights.

Fin confidently reinvents a music made for bumping and grooving with a lyrical prowess that burns slowly,

Fin is packed with confidence without a hint of overcompensation: elegant, expressive, and coolly defiant.

While pushing her own artistry to the forefront, Syd retains the non-flashy vocal style she showcased expertly on the Internet’s Grammy-nominated Ego Death release from 2015.

She comes into her own on her debut, Fin, a resounding end to adolescence and an inquisitive consideration of maturity.

All in all, this is a flawed but often gripping record from a wonderfully subdued vocalist.

The stylistic switch-ups are clever and effective without coming across as forcefully out of character.