08 Nov Fink: Rolling With The Punches
Fink, aka Fin Greenhall, is a musician with an impressive CV. He's an accomplished singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and DJ. Signed to the record label Ninjatune, Fink has built up his acoustic blues/folk music into critically successful array of albums for his hordes of fans. On a crackling phone line, Fink chats to Soul Culture’s Philip Javens about his latest album, Perfect Darkness; graffiti artist Banksy; working with the late Amy Winehouse and rap artist Professor Green; and his philosophy on making music - "the better the music, the better you’re going to do..."
If 2011 has taught the members of #TeamUK anything it's that the 100 metre race they initially thought they were running is actually as long distance event. The early successes which many had achieved have now become a memory as the pressures to maintain such standards becomes harder. Longevity in music has always been linked to acclaimed albums - and battle rapper-turned-UK phenomenon Professor Green takes on the arduous challenge of producing the ever cited 'difficult second album'. At Your Inconvenience follows on from a very successful year for the Walthamstow rapper, claiming plaudits both from commercial and specialist platforms. Balancing the two has never been more difficult, so it's a just matter of whether the professor chooses to favour one of the two markets or remain persistent in creating the anecdote for gratifying both masses.
As the name suggests, Perfect Darkness takes on the chiaroscuro effects it evokes, and forms a deep thunderous catharsis with the voice of a melancholic baritone acoustic singer called Fink. Fink's fifth album sounds like a broken man who’s torn away the passions of his heart and laid it to rest onto this CD – it feels like a modern day Greek tragedy. Produced by Billy Bush (Beck, Garbage), Fin Greenall and his band produced this album in the space of 20 days. Recorded in Los Angeles, the Brighton-based singer/songwriter wanted to capture the raw, organic urgency of fear onto his album - and from the opening number, I can safely say that Perfect Darkness well executes their conception with heart-throbbing accuracy.