Beauty In Your Wake (Acoustic)

Album review

In January 2025, Berlin was covered in a thick layer of snow. The magical, enveloping atmosphere was ideal for Fink’s new project: an acoustic, live version of their previous album, Beauty In Your Wake. Recording 1500km from their native Cornwall had the advantage of adding a certain sense of nostalgia (described as hemweh in German), which aligns perfectly with the vibrant folk music of Fin Greenall’s band. In true handover style, this retelling of Beauty In Your Wake opens with the last song from the original album, “When I Turn This Corner.” Distant, reverberating drums give way to guitars and piano that only serve to reinforce the melancholy of this track.

Though there are some minor instrumental nuances between this recording and the original version of the album, these are of great subtlety, as in “Don’t Forget To Leave Well.” It’s easy to look beyond the differences, however, as the live aspect of the album brings real added value, a fact corroborated by Greenall: “Recording acoustic versions strips the song back to its most pure, basic, emotional, uncovered, raw essence… The process is such a cathartic one, and the songs can change immeasurably when we do this - with different songs coming out stronger.” Moreover, Greenall has retained the energy and drive of his early electro passions in his folk songwriting, even when the acoustic cursor is pushed to the max. Among the record’s most radiant moments is the fifty-something singer’s rendition of “One Last Gift,” enhanced by Guy Sternberg’s beautiful mixing. Generally speaking, the acoustic and analog elements (this album was recorded in Berlin's legendary Lowswing studio) allow the tracks to acquire depth, warmth and spontaneity. ©Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz