100/100

Being a musician, and having spent a good portion of that time admiring quartets in which the fusion of four idiosyncratic personalities made for such excellent and transcendent music, I'm not going to lie: I’m a little jealous and in awe of Fingerfunk. The quartet, which has been steadily releasing singles, have just debuted their 6th, “Dopamine”, a fun, charismatic hip-hop banger that equally displays each member’s unique contributions. Firstly, there’s the highly compelling juxtaposition of rapper Hisham’s flamboyant and localised descriptions (he got his momma a house in the Bukit Timah Hills, ya’ll) against the soulful and direct inflections of Vocalist FRZ. The notion that the lead vocalist spot can be inhabited by more than one individual is a concept that has been around for a long-time, probably because it’s understatedly effective when done well, as evidenced by “Dopamine”. Equally as impressive as the duo’s interplaying vocals is the intricate foundation of electric guitar and synthetic bells and beats on which they are nestled snugly. Guitarist Leo manages a graceful balance between virtuosity and serving the song. Seriously, there are some tasty guitar moments on this track (0:55!). That Leo’s guitar and Andy’s padwork demand attention without overpowering the vocals is perhaps the most impressive feat, and a testament to the substance of the group's songwriting. As the truism goes, a good tune can stand on its own without elaborate production, something “Dopamine”, with its clean and dry mix which does little more beyond amplifying each members’ parts, surely embodies. Simply put, FingerFunk have knocked it out of the park, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.