“GLORIOUS CHAOS” | OPUS KINK REPENT ON SENSATIONAL DEBUT ‘THE SWEET GOODBYE’

ALBUM REVIEW | OPUS KINK – THE SWEET GOODBYE by Anne Kelly

When sinful pleasures of desire meet the smooth, sultry sensations of jazz, the result sounds very much like Opus Kink. Proudly hailing from Brighton, the southern sextet has finally unveiled their sensational debut album, The Sweet Goodbye.

To say this release was anticipated would be an understatement. Coming together back in 2017, Opus Kink has somehow managed to melt anxiety, existential philosophy, punk, jazz, folk, dance, Latin, and Eastern-European music into one delicious pot. Releasing two critically acclaimed EPs back-to-back in 2021/22, the band built a cult-like following that gradually spilled over into mainstream hype (well, BBC Radio 6 hype). Nine years after that initial spark, Opus Kink has finally found the momentum and backing to deliver a full-length record – and my goodness, it is glorious. It’s easily one of the finest albums of 2026.

Over the course of 10 tracks, Opus Kink weaves wry absurdist wit with raw explorations of shame, violence, and existential angst, plunging the listener into a captivating cinematic underworld.

It’s a song about the hallucinogenic qualities of a doomed love affair and its toxic allure—the mad philosophical leap of ‘I don’t care what you do as long as you do it to me.’” Angus Rogers (vocals/guitar) on ‘Come Over Do Me Wrong’

‘Come Over, Do Me Wrong’ opens the album, setting the tone with its sexy, swaggering delivery. The saxophone enters like a bated breath, teasing what’s to come – tantalising yet confident, immediately dropping the listener to their knees. Like every great Opus Kink track, it continues the flirtation, building with a style and orchestration that allows the entire ensemble to shine.

It’s that toxic seductiveness that carries the band. Combined with impromptu jazz spontaneity set against Rogers’ deep, growling vocals, the results are often breathless. ‘Will It Come For You’ offers that in abundance. Exploring our purpose – or lack thereof – the track swells with an anxiety that grows more desperate by the second.

Easily a standout, ‘I’m A Pretty Showboy’ is an all-around “no skip” anthem. Drenched in theatrics, this nearly five-minute treasure takes you on an alluring journey of sin (one I could easily write an entire essay about). Frontman Angus Rogers describes it as “a song about contempt, appetite, impotence, and self-preservation through gyration.” Sam Abbott’s steady bass hook is a force unto itself, pairing with brother Fin’s percussion to curate a rhythm section to die for. The breakdown around the two-minute mark creates a palpable sense of anguish, where Rogers’ breathy vocals heighten the growing intensity before the song gracefully descends into beautiful madness alongside Jack Banjo Courtney (trumpet) and Jed Morgans (saxophone).

The title track and earlier single, ‘The Sweet Goodbye’, refuses to let the tension drop. Rogers’ delivery is as temptingly desperate as ever, infused with an undeniable urgency. It’s this track that truly showcases synth/keys player Jazz Pope’s ability to anchor the arrangement.

After a solid run of previously released singles on side A, the record takes an intriguing turn. ‘Peckham Nocturne’ smoothly rides in with a slick, Latin-infused jazz rhythm that lets the rich brass tones do the heavy lifting. It provides a perfect lull in intensity before the striking declaration of “Oh Baby” introduces “I Have To Shine My Sunday Shoes.” Confessional lines like “Today is a punishment for yesterday” give way to desperate pleas of “please, please, please,” dragging the listener back into syncopated grooves that leave you begging for more.

Another familiar track for longtime fans is ‘The Head Tree‘, featuring the reverberated sounds of The New Eves. The vocal layering between both bands is erratically primal and utterly rebellious. Inspired by Alice Molland – the last person tried and executed for witchcraft in England in 1685 – the track captures an occult spirit with pure, unhinged magic.

‘448C (The Colour Of Love)’ keeps the cinematic sinisterism ticking over without letting up, leading right into ‘Crucify!’ – a six-and-a-half-minute offbeat salsa-punk crescendo. Functioning like the penultimate 11 o’clock number in a chaotic musical, Rogers accepts his sins over a chorus chanting “crucify me now,” recalling the hedonistic poolside climax of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Vocally, Rogers mirrors the greats, echoing the rich tones and theatrical eccentricity of Jarvis Cocker and David Bowie. His delivery carries a level of raw confidence that can’t be faked – gutteral punk rock forged through years of genuine craft.

The finale, ‘Oh, Irony’, hits like a moment of acceptance. Carrying a similar chord structure and pace to Bowie’s ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide’, which closes out The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, it brings the record home with cinematic storytelling gold. It’s a bold claim to compare any modern record to something so legendary, but the track – and album as a whole – earns every bit of that praise.

The Sweet Goodbye is easily one of the most accomplished albums of the year – a body of work that unearths new gems with every listen. If you’re looking for something to fire your ears up and reignite your love for music, Opus Kink has you covered.

The Sweet Goodbye by Opus Kink is OUT NOW via SO RECORDINGS: buy/stream HERE.

You can catch the band “stripped back and sensual” live across English record stores this week. Or head along to see the band in their full glory when they go on tour later this year. Tickets on sale NOW!

17 NOV – Bootleg Social, Blackpool

19 NOV – King Tuts, Glasgow

20 NOV – Wardrobe, Leeds

21 NOV – Band On The Wall, Manchester

22 NOV – Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

25 NOV – Thekla, Bristol

26 NOV – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London

28 NOV – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (UK)