Fernando Perdomo: "Clouds 3" (2026) CD Review

Fernando Perdomo is continuing his year-long Clouds project with Clouds 3. This volume, like the other instalments in this series, contains all original material composed and played by Fernando Perdomo. That's right, he wrote all the tracks and plays all the instruments. He also produced the album. And this, as you perhaps already know, follows last year's Waves project, which also featured an album of new material every month. Last year he looked at the oceans and sometimes took us down into their depths, exploring all sorts of interesting areas. This year he looks up at into the skies, finding plenty of inspiration there, and plenty of new places to take us. By the way, that great photo on the album's cover is by Mindy Hertzon.

Clouds 3 opens with a pretty, somewhat soothing number titled "Midwestern Emo Sky," a track offering a place for some contemplation, with a theme on guitar that we can soon internalize. The sound becomes our own, the rhythm and motion of our own thoughts. Changes in the sky are noticed, incorporated, but perhaps aren't as fast as we might notice in real time. This music allows us to slow things down, to take in more of what is visible, and contemplate more of what is within too. Then something interesting happens early on in "Dusk Storm" that grabs us: after a short opening section, there is a breath, a pause, one that is longer than you might expect, and then the music returns. This reminds us of those summer storms when we were kids enjoying the show. There would be some lightning, and then a pause, during which we'd desperately, eagerly search the sky for the next strike. And just when we'd basically given up on the whole thing, there it was. There is that sense here. What's also interesting is that Fernando Perdomo doesn't push or exaggerate the drama of a moment like that. Instead, there is a kind of relaxed pace and vibe to this track. The universe is in no rush to appease us. A storm takes its own time, and in that time we are able to inject our own meaning to what we see, what we hear.

With "The Relayer," there is a rumbling in the sky, and the movement of something big passing overheard, something that disturbs the air. There is no sense of danger, but rather wonder, in being part of this whole crazy universe, most of which we don't understand, and realizing it is perfectly fine to not have the answers. Things pass. Look up occasionally. There is a darker, deeper rumbling toward the end. And then a streak of light, and it's over. That's followed by "Angel Rays," which kind of eases in, taking short steps. Not far into this track, the sky seems to open and a fantastic light breaks through, pouring down upon us in gentle, warm waves. There is the sense of something guiding the light, something happy to share it, welcoming us to a larger world. And if we let go of everything else for a moment, we can walk within this magic, really experience it. As we sense it coming to a close, the real world remains changed for us.

As "Glow" begins, a soft beauty surrounds us, a warmth. It feels like memories and hopes for the future are all wrapped up in one moment, or like we've stepped out of time completely, so that those memories and hopes are indistinguishable, each as real or as unreal as the other. And that sort of thing, whether they are real, ceases to matter. We are urged to just enjoy this moment, whatever it is, real or otherwise. For it is all so brief. And as the music fades, it is like this whole life does too. That is followed by "Day Dream." On the CD case, it is listed as "Day Dream," two words, while online I see that it is listed as one word, "Daydream." There is a different sense to it as two words, isn't there? There is more emphasis on the word dream, and that seems fitting, for as this track begins, it is like we enter a sort of dream state. More than just a casual daydream. This is a dream, with colors and sounds and streaks of light playing about us. And it begins to build, in size and intensity, before then letting go and finding a beginning again. We seek patterns, don't we, even in dreams, where no significance or meaning likely exists.

The next track has a much different title on the CD case, where it is listed as "Warm," than online, where I've seen it listed as "Warped." Both titles could work. There is a warmth, but there is also a repeated movement upward that makes me think of a spaceship attaining warp speed. This one too has a pause in the middle, which is surprising, a pause just long enough to make us think the track might be over, before returning to its pattern. It is like a little dance, which is then offered to the heavens and accepted, sucked up into the skies, thoughts disappearing into the ether. And the same thought occurs again. There is an unusual feel to this piece, and it ends with a final rush upward. Do we all move with that motion? By the way, Fernando Perdomo does have another song titled "Warm," the title track from his 2014 album, that one with vocals. "Atmos Cosmos" has the sense of a pattern at the beginning as well, yet now the motion seems to be moving down to us, yet still fading as it reaches its goal. Is darkness to be our destination regardless of which direction we move? There is something beautiful here, even at the edge of eternity, the edge of oblivion. Strangely, we find we can relax here. In fact, perhaps we can do nothing but relax here, even as certain thoughts rush at us, certain questions, certain objections. But they too soon disappear.

There is a very different feel as "Amber Dawn" starts, a steady rhythm, a lower tone. It feels like something is being prepared. And it continues, even as light plays above and across it. It is like two different elements are coming together. In the middle of the track that rhythm suddenly ceases, a change occurs. Then after a breath, that rhythm returns, a steady pulse. There is a moment a little later when it seems to grow in intensity before then letting go. And soon there is a sweet, gentle ending. Will it be that way for us? The album concludes with "Icicles." I love how the sound hovers, kind of sweeping over us, a hum that echoes and remains, while the guitar offers drops of water upon our skin, cold but refreshing. Partway through, there is a surpring spiritual turn, and the hum is lifted up in offering. Soon blue lights play across a solid sky, and from there something larger answers, coming down to meet us, and everything becomes one. What a wonderful way to wrap things up.

CD Track List

1. Midwestern Emo Sky
2. Dusk Storm
3. The Relayer
4. Angel Rays
5. Glow
6. Day Dream
7. Warm
8. Atmos Cosmos
9. Amber Dawn
10. Icicles

Clouds 3 was released on March 1, 2026.