A collection that chronicles the journey from heartbreak to love, Sunset | Darkness | Sunrise is the captivating new EP from Rob Finlay.

By Graeme Smith

You might feel you’ve heard the ‘heartbreak to love’ story before but there’s an attention to detail in Finlay’s lyrics that elevates his EP from the crowd, and instantly captivates you as listener. In EP opener, All Eyes Surrender, They’re soulfully delivered by Finlay against a folksy soft rock backdrop. And they’re not all about love. They discuss politics, society, and people who walk different paths with eloquence.

Its lead single Afterglow has a richness to it as it tells its melancholic tale of emotional separation. There’s a liveliness to its instrumental that provides some catharsis.

Elsewhere, Ballerina slows things down for a lilting ballad, and In White provide a joyful ending through its wedding day ode.

Across the EP, there is a sense of longing in every note, word and beat.

To put the record together, Finlay worked with session musicians who have previously supported the likes of Feeder, Rag’n’Bone Man, Keane, and Beyoncé while production comes from Tori Amos collaborator Adrian Hall, with mastering by Elton John and Oasis collaborator Andy Baldwin.

Though new to us, Finlay’s music has featured on American TV show Breaking Amish and has been celebrated by Tom Robinson of BBC 6 Music who called him “much better than [a singer-songwriter].” I’d echo that sentiment. There really is something about his sound that’s a cut above.

Sunset | Darkness | Sunrise is out now and you can give it a listen below.