Jack Hinks – Tower (2021)
Jack Hinks made his way into my life back in 2020 with the single ‘Los Angeles’ (read our review here) and has since remained a firm favourite. Using soulful vocals, impassioned lyricism and evocative melodies, Hinks breaks boundaries with his unique sound. Refusing to be pigeon-holed, he not only creates genre-defying music but incorporates heartfelt conceptual messages in the tunes. Featured on The Other Side Reviews (that’s us!), Right Chord Music, Turtle Tempo, BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio and several other notable press, Hinks is quickly building a loyal following. The most recent addition to his well-received repertoire is ‘Tower’.
Exploring Kubler-Ross’ Five Stages of Grief from a sonic perspective, ‘Tower’ is the fifth and final track representing denial. Yes, the stages of grief move from denial to acceptance, however, Hinks chose to begin with acceptance in ‘Jigsaw’ (read our review here) and make his way back…sort of. Focusing on elements of crisis, inner turmoil, conflict, destruction and distress, ‘Tower’ is a hard-hitting single from a lyrical and melodic viewpoint.
A guitar-driven single, ‘Tower’ combines acoustic instrumentation with his dulcet tones to adequately capture the melancholic naivety of being in denial. Smooth with a flowing melody, there is a languid style to the tune, however, the angst in Hinks’ rich vocals sends shivers down your spine as you understand his emotion. What I find most interesting about ‘Tower’ is the intense intimacy without any “bells and whistles”. Yes, Hinks can move you with his voice, but the incorporation of Fiona Liddell’s ethereal vocals adds a haunting element to the single.
I have noted in many reviews that songs can be separated into two categories: feel songs and describe songs. The brutal honesty and tender sentimentality in ‘Tower’ make it a true feel song. As much as I attempt to speak about the track, it is impossible to present a review worthy of its genius. Listen, enjoy and then press repeat.
For more from Jack Hinks, check out his official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
