Pias/Revamp Music [Release date: 24.03.23]
Floor Jansen’s addition as a permanent member to the Nightwish family back in 2013 found most of the fans of the Finnish outfit in total agreement, as the three-octave ranged soprano was already a singer of a proven pedigree, having fronted successful symphonic metal bands such as After Forever and ReVamp in the past.
Her solid vocal performances on albums like “Endless Forms Most Beautiful”[2015] & “Human :II: Nature” [2020] and the great acclaim that followed their release further solidified her position in the band but could not mask the fact that Jansen would only reach a certain level of musical fulfilment under the Nightwish moniker.
That, I believe, is why the release of a solo album like “Paragon” is of paramount importance to both the Dutch singer and her thousands of fans around the globe.
Similarly to what Sharon den Adel did in the project “My Indigo” and the mighty Anneke Van Giersbergen in…well, every single solo album that was released following her departure from The Gathering, Jansen chose to significantly strip things down on her first solo effort and, in doing so, operate outside of what could be described as her ‘comfort zone’.
Rather than investing in the type of layered orchestrations and bombastic musical themes which define and describe her ‘day job’, the ten compositions which are on offer here are instead characterized by their simplicity, immediacy and richness of emotion. The end result? Stunning; a collection of ten songs that are more than capable of appealing to fans of Rock & Pop music alike.
The album gets off to a flying start with the up-tempo beat and high-energy mood of “My Paragon” – a three and a half minute composition which proves how successful Jansen’s ‘back-to-basics’ approach has been.
Perfectly ranged vocal deliveries, a rhythmical theme that one will find impossible not to dance along to…this little gem has it all and then some! The follow-up composition “Daydream”, on the other hand, is a more introspective affair – one that is dominated by Jansen’s smooth/emotional layered vocal delivery in the song’s captivating refrain.
Featuring simple orchestral themes and more stupendously catchy vocal melodies, “Invincible” is another composition that will win you over from the ‘go’ while comparisons with Jansen’s fellow countrywoman Anneke Van Giersbergen will undoubtedly be drawn when listening to the main theme, the sublime guitar work and smooth/moody vocal deliveries of “Hope”.
Choosing favorites is a very personal affair and, as far as this album is concerned, I am sure that most listeners’ choices will change as the weeks and months go by.
My personal vote, being an 80’s kid and all, will have to go to “Come Full Circle” as Jansen’s powerful vocal line in the refrain and the keyboard themes used throughout the song brought back memories from a time in my life when things were much more innocent and pure.
Choose any contemporary Pop diva and get her to perform a moving ballad like “Storm” and the end result will most likely leave much to be desired. Jansen, however, manages to navigate through the ‘dangerous musical waters’ of this deceivingly simple-sounding composition with an ease that shocks and impresses in equal measure.
The last part of what I can only describe as the ‘holy-triumvirate’ of this album is “Me Without You” – a four minute piano-lounge sounding composition whose James-Bond themed beat and dramatic vocal lines ooze of sex appeal.
The album concludes with three low key affairs, namely “The Calm”, “Armoured Wings” and “Fire”, all of which allow Jansen to further flex her vocal muscles and, by doing so, offering the listener with moments of sheer joy in the process.
I have to be honest with you; when I decided to undertake the review for this album I did so mostly out of curiosity, as I can hardly be described as a die-hard Nightwish fan. Never in a million years did I expect to become so impressed, mesmerized…no, absolutely captivated by what the singer/songwriter who wanted to become a Biologist as a child has so generously put on offer for us in “Paragon”.
Moody, powerful, intimate, disarming…I can use a hundred more such adjectives here and I will still fail to describe the sheer quality and value of Jansen’s first solo effort. What I can really only hope for is that “Paragon” will be the first of many such efforts, as I truly feel that beautiful singing ‘birds’ should be allowed to roam free and not remain locked behind ‘golden cages’! ****1/2
Review by Ioannis Stefanis
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Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
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