8/10

Over the last few years, we have not heard of an artist already dominating the award's schedule before even releasing a studio album like FINNEAS. With his production work on his sister Billie Eilish's debut LP 'WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?' landing him a total of six Grammy awards in 2020 and a further two earlier this year, he has already established himself as one of the more exciting producers to emerge in recent years. And after a flurry of EP releases, he finally delivers his long-awaited debut full-length 'Optimist', a record that looks to focus on more of his own sound than anything else.

While the adventurous and distinctly dark tones that we know from his work with Eilish remain absent from this new collection, 'Optimist' showcases more of his songwriting chops than anything else. Keeping the record's atmosphere as light and breezy as possible, this initial effort marks the artist as a fresh and vibrant name emerging right now. With his brilliantly passionate voice leading the charge on many of these new songs, the album has this diverse and eclectic feel to it, that is more about inviting you in than blowing you away with bold and blistering textures.

Distancing his work from Billie Eilish seems to have been an easy feat for him, which only adds to the prowess of his production work. From the start, 'Optimist' is a wonderfully warm and inviting release that not only builds his solo credentials, but also gives us a beautifully rich and captivating listen throughout.