FINNEAS will rip your heart out on ‘Blood Harmony’

FINNEAS
Blood Harmony

OYOY · October 4, 2019

In his first EP, FINNEAS showcases the songwriting and production skills that had previously been praised through the work of his sister, Billie Eilish. Following a collection of singles released over the past three years, Blood Harmony allows FINNEAS to develop a voice of his own throughout the seven songs, while also giving him the opportunity to evolve his unique musical style.

The EP opens with “I Lost a Friend,” a dreamy and tranquil preview to the rest of the album. In it, he discusses the struggles of friendship, but seamlessly fits this universal idea into his personal life. He talks about how nobody believes the difficulties he is facing, further emphasized by the line “I know that he don’t need me/‘cause he made a little too much money to be twenty and sad.” He subtly reminds his listeners that even though he lives a life that seems perfect from the outside, he is still human like anyone else.

FINNEAS makes use of this soft, almost melancholic vibe in other songs, too. In “Lost My Mind,” he shows off his clear, but still raspy vocals as he bares his feelings about a potential romantic partner in his life. “Partners in Crime” takes this vulnerability even further, as the romance that once was is now history. Even though it doesn’t seem like this EP tells a strict narrative, the ideas still feel very fluid as they comment on universal experiences in love and friendship.

While all of the songs tend to follow a similar structure, building up the energy in the chorus and toning down the instrumental in the song’s final moments, many of them do this in an upbeat way. “Shelter” has pop elements, but FINNEAS’ use of the guitar proves to maintain his individuality. However, by the EP’s end, it feels like his risks follow a formula.

“I Don’t Miss You At All” and “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night” both use this structure, but are the riskiest, and ultimately the most memorable songs. In the former, it is clear where Billie Eilish finds her inspiration, when around a minute into the song, an edgier beat is introduced unexpectedly. The latter is flirty and showcases FINNEAS’ high range beautifully.

The EP’s final song “Die Alone” was marked as popular by Apple Music. It still incorporates the theme of relationships and allows FINNEAS to be truly open with his fans, but the song stands out from the rest of the album. It is focused more on vocals than instrumentals, with powerful harmonies throughout, and mainly uses piano rather than the guitar. By crafting it this way, FINNEAS is able to capture the listener’s attention with heart-wrenching lyrics like “I think I’d rather die alone, together,” and “I wasn’t looking for you, but you found me.” He is emotional, and this lets his fans connect to him in a way that makes them want to come back for more.