Perfect Storm – No Air

Perfect Storm
No Air
Glassville Records
March 19, 2021 (International)
53:49

Perfect Storm come from the Dutch provincial capital of Groningen. Founded by established musicians, equipped with a lot of self-confidence. This is what one can read from the band’s self-portrayal in the press text:

Where one moment it’s like a soft breeze in your ear, another moment it’s like a devastating tornado testing your eardrums. Perfect Storm consist of extremely dynamic and adventurous Dutch musicians, founded in Groningen, but influenced from all wind directions. With smashing guitar riffs, driving drums, tight bass lines, velvet voices and enchanting piano parts this new project brings the musical landscape an irresistible whirlwind from high and low pressure areas.

I couldn’t help it, I had to listen to the debut album “No Air”. In their home country, the album was already released in January, the international release followed two months later.

Progressive rock is not really my world. But exceptions prove the rule. And Perfect Storm could become such an exception. Already with the opener “Strength”, the Dutch show a distinct feeling for melodic. The frequent melody and rhythm changes practised by many bands are less pronounced here. The basic mood is cautiously melancholic. The vocals of frontman Adel Saflou also fit this. Of course, you can also hear the excessive joy of playing here. Especially guitarist and mastermind Gert-Jan Schurer shines again and again with elaborated solo interludes. This calm and contemplative sound continues on “The Search”. Towards the end, you can also enjoy the voice of female vocal partner Hiske Oosterwijk. She also takes the slightly melancholic mood into account. With “Hope” Perfect Storm show that melancholic progressive rock can also animate to sing along, even if there are no choruses in the real sense. Even if the musicians don’t break any speed records, it’s even more contemplative, as they prove on “No Air”. Here, singer Hiske is accompanied almost exclusively by the electric piano. Only later do the guitar and drums come in discreetly. When you hear her sing, you wish she would contribute the lead vocals more often. The light pop attitude on “Mind’s Eye” is surprising. But even so, the compositions are extremely sophisticated. The final song “How It Ends” is by far the longest on the album with a playing time of nine and a half minutes. And also, the most varied.

“No Air” is not an album that you can listen to on the side. As already mentioned several times, the songs sound mostly melancholic. And the musicians have projected this excellently into the music. The soothing voices of both singers fit this like a glove. Despite all the tranquillity of the songs, the album does not become boring or even predictable with intensive listening. A remarkable debut.

Perfect Storm – No Air (lyrics video): https://youtu.be/fZVoLVd7J8I

Lineup:

Gert-Jan Schurer – Guitars
Adel Saflou – Vocals
Jesse Bosman – Drums, Keys
David Klompmakers – Bass
Hiske Oosterwijk – Vocals

Track list:

• Strength
• The Search
• Sun For Life
• Hope
• No Air
• Mind’s Eye
• How It Ends