Rasmus Fynbo - Speck of Light

​Rasmus Fynbo

​Speck of Light
self-released; 2024
​
 TOP ALBUM

By Jamie Funk

Rasmus Fynbo’s Speck of Light pulls together a transatlantic ensemble, primarily built around the Danish composer-producer and Argentinian vocalist Camila Castellani, with additional contributions from guitarist Alex Duarte and multi-instrumentalist Per Solgaard. The album’s thematic core grapples with existential weight—love amidst chaos, loss, the need to carve one's own path—and even delves into historical storytelling, like in "Sea of Time" and "Speck of Light," where Fynbo explores the life of Grauballemanden, a preserved bog body from Denmark’s Bronze Age. It’s ambitious, with Fynbo citing influences ranging from Fleetwood Mac to Charlotte Gainsbourg, pulling from folk, indie rock, Latin rhythms, and even gospel.

The opener, “A Summer Day in April,” immediately sets a mood of acoustic warmth, Castellani’s vocals evoking the soft dreaminess of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval. The track unfolds slowly, layered with rich, earthy instrumentation that envelops the listener in a comforting haze. Castellani’s voice becomes a focal point throughout the record, with each song offering new textures and emotional contours.

“Into the Woods” expands on the wistful tone of the opener but injects a quiet optimism, while “Late September Sky” introduces a flirtation with indie rock, fusing it with folk and Balkan undertones. There’s a playful nod to Feist here, especially in its infectious melody.

“Departure” leans into sultry Latin rhythms, fitting snugly into a noirish atmosphere straight out of True Detective. The mood softens on “Fireflies,” a track drenched in melancholy, before lifting spirits with the gospel-inflected “Le Lac.”

Where some albums start to taper off in quality, Speck of Light maintains its momentum. “Anhelando” shifts gears linguistically, offering a beautifully immersive moment in Castellani’s native Spanish. “Nostalgia” contrasts its title with a more danceable groove, while “Lullaby at the End of the World” closes the album on a triumphant, almost cinematic note.

From the meticulous production to the seamless genre-blending, this album feels like an intricate puzzle of emotions and soundscapes—ambitious in its scope yet deeply intimate in execution. Speck of Light is an accomplished, thoughtfully composed work, deserving of high praise.

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