Much like the great minimalist releases, The Whispers allows space to reinforce meaning. It is a record that speaks when spoken to.

Channelling the passion of early Ben Harper, and the compositional nous of James Taylor, ‘The Whispers’ is the debut album from singer-songwriter Kim Beales. The record fuses socially aware and intimate lyricism with restrained and mature arrangements.

Opening track, Nowhere, establishes the mood of the album from the get-go. Sparse, but with edges of darkness, this song appears born for a dimly-lit, smoke-filled bar room. Distant trumpet and upright bass allow the space for Beales’ laid-back vocal delivery to breathe. Familiar, but unique, when Beales sings you know that he means it.

Tomorrow’s Shame may be the most commercially viable track on the album. Powerful and dynamic, the song morphs from John Butler-esque imitation to a conclusion that is the noise of a young artist forging their own sound. Beales’ vocal performance on Tomorrow’s Shame is the most commanding of the album, and this confident showing allows the song’s social message to resonate.

The folk beauty of The Disappearing and Knopfler-inspired guitar work contained in You Speak The Ocean are further proof of the talent and magnificence that exists in The Whispers. But while Beales has created an album that has a myriad of likeable tunes, the record is missing that key moment where the songs transcend being memorable and form a part of the listener.

 I understand that this is a heavy onus. But  the talent and potential ingrained in The Whispers suggests that Beales is capable.

Album standout, A New Day, is the song that comes closest to fulfilling this promise. Borrowing from the rhythmic feel of Paul Simon’s album Graceland, the shuffle glides with momentum. World-infused, but with modern pop sensibilities, Beales manages to capture a sincerity that talents such as John Mayer and Jason Mraz transform into throwaway FM-radio fodder.

Sparsely arranged and openly produced, The Whispers is the sound of Beales creating his own identity. With the ability to craft his talents into a more concise form and the courage to leave tracks like Bonhoeffer and Pendulum, from the album, Beales will create a truly great record. The Whispers is destined to be the album before Kim Beales does something spectacular …