Syd’s Fin is spectacularly sexy, with plenty of bite

Fin (technically a second album after a self-released instrumental record back in 2011) is her moment to shine, and hell does she. The Taylor-baiting opening track segues into a floating, liquid, breathy set of songs that bring to mind Aaliyah if she were just starting off today, from California. There’s an assuredness to the way she delivers herself; switching effortlessly from spoken word to falsetto, crossing with ease between different musical camps.

Now signed to Columbia, it’s perhaps no surprise that the production of this some tracks echoes Timberlake-vs-Neptunes on some of the lead songs, but it’s in the album tracks that Syd really shines for me. “Nothing to Somethin’” is pure California cruising music, telling a well-worn story but without reverting to cliché.

There is a bit of a disconnect between some of the tracks: lead single “All About Me”’s discordant trap-lite bassline jars with the following song, “Smile More”, which is slow jam honey par excellence. This might all seem to be adding up as a recipe for failure, but Syd’s personality maintains the unity. She has an unusually compelling way of delivering vocals, backed up with tracks that manage not to get in the way (for the most part). Spectacularly sexy, but with plenty of bite, Fin is just the beginning for this singer.