Pedro Luis Ferrer has always reflected the gentler, more sensitive side of Cuban music, a side that tends to get neglected in favor of more mainstream son, salsa and rumba. As much a philosopher and a poet as a singer, Ferrer has sometimes been regarded as a dissident by the Cuban authorities, and he remains critical of the political setup in his homeland despite being more than willing to celebrate his country's culture in his own idiosyncratic way. Final is Ferrer's first release since 2011's Tangible, and clearly the singer still has plenty to say at the ripe old age of 63.

Although Ferrer's output is of a poetic nature, you do not need fluency in Cuban Spanish to enjoy the songs here, which are in a style that the singer describes as changüisa, a gentler, more feminine form of changüi. It is soothing stuff: Ferrer's warm, light brown voice is gently backed by acoustic guitars and unobtrusive percussion, and a few songs like "Cristina" also have strings, which serve to enrich the lushness of the sound. Some songs also feature vocal contributions from Ferrer's daughter Lena, and this augments the overall romantic feel.

Final is as warm and as comforting as a hot herbal bath. The fact that tempo does not tend to change much throughout might be a minor criticism, but at least the final track, "Titiriti," livelier and more bouncy than most of the other songs, provides as an uplifting way to end proceedings. One thing that should be noted is that the album's title is a complete misnomer as, unless Ferrer intends on retiring or shuffling of his mortal coil sometime soon, Final is unlikely to be the last word by this singular artist.