To the sound of waves lightly crashing and delicate piano keys that set the tone just right, Japanese band The fin. know how to draw you in with their song, “Alone in the Sky.” However, what becomes more impressive about the track is the way in which it gradually evolves, whether through the incorporation of other instruments or the slow climb to a cathartic peak.
This is the song that first grabbed my attention when the gentle four-and-a-half-minute track somehow made its way into our best songs of the month submissions for May. It instantly stopped me from sifting through 100s of daily emails we get here at Grimy Goods. If a song can do that, then I know it’s worth another listen, and eventually a deep dive into the artist/band.
Despite the song being released almost a year ago, I had assigned it to our writer, David, for our weekly Best New Songs of the Week round-ups. It wasn’t until he drafted the article that I realized this gorgeous, piano-led track was released in August of 2025.
Well, I can’t let great music journalism, written by a real human, go to waste. And I certainly can’t sleep on this Tokyo-based indie/dream pop duo any further. That’s the thing with being a music blogger, or what the young foks call these days, a music curator: we miss so many gems and up-and-coming artists that deserve a write-up and/or a feature in our Best New Songs videos. I mean, there are only so many of us, and most of us are 100 percent independent.
Better late than never.
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What makes The fin.’s “Alone in the Sky” so special is its minimalist, however abundant, production. On the subject of other instruments, the horn heard in the distance helps make “Alone in the Sky” feel like a breathing ecosystem rather than your typical song with a clear statement. Of course, the production isn’t the only thing that stands out. The high-pitched, androgynous vocals help bring home the more contemplative emotions at play.
By the time the electronic production comes into the picture during the climax, the repetition of the song’s title acts as a beam of light that brings you in, abducting you into a world of The fin’s making.
Frontman Yuto Uchino‘s soft vocals are striking in their velvety, high-pitched delivery. If Geddy Lee were to have created dream pop with Rush, instead of prog rock, it might have sounded something like The fin. It’s all about those silky countertenor vibes, but over delicate (yet decadent) layers of instrumental and electronic sounds.
Formed in 2012, The fin. is led by Yuto Uchino. His songwriting, vocals, guitar, synth, recording, mixing, and production, combined with bandmate Kaoru Nakazawa‘s bass and synth skills, flesh out The fin.’s decadent sound. It’s indie pop on a psychedelic dreamscape with bursting bubbles of soul, funk, and jazz.
The duo just performed at Zebulon last week (featured in Grimy Goods’ 20 Concerts To Experience) and also at El Cid last July. We weren’t able to catch them, but we sure hope they make it back to L.A. Until then, their new album, Somewhere Between (2025), is in steady rotation.
The fin. just wrapped their 10-city tour through North America. This July, they tour Asia. Stay tuned to their website and socials for new releases and tour announcements.
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