Ah, the games afoot. Fernando Perdomo’s 2025 efforts have included a varied yet stellar selection of albums. The twelve-album ‘Waves’ series has been a worthy addition to his discography and my CD collection. Now, as 2025 wraps up, I can’t help but think which album of the twelve ( 11 at the time of this writing) is my favorite and which songs fall under that best of 2025 category. 

‘Waves 11’ is out now at https://fernandoperdomo.bandcamp.com/album/waves-11, but does not make these tasks any easier. 

“Cold Waves”, the album opener, is atmospheric and enchanting. Perdomo creates unique keyboard textures, which are supported by clean guitar lines and cascading percussion. However, the song is 3 1/2 minutes, it builds in intensity before it breaks onto shore.

“The Fall” is a delicate yet powerful guitar interlude. It seems to contain touches of finger-picked electric rhythm guitar and Telecaster-like lead guitar, which presents the central theme. The song is quiet, spacey, and lovely. 

Touches of Southern California seem present in “Gringo Island.” The conga-and-shaker-driven track features prominent acoustic picking by Perdomo, with touches that sound like a 6-string bass. The song swings with wild abandon while recalling CSN’s “Fair Game”. It’s good fun. 

“Seagulls Attack” is a midtempo rocker with wah-wah lead guitar and a laid-back bass-drum backing. The song’s solo guitar section is among the best on the album, and the keyboard textures help the song’s ascending motif. It’s as if the song is the first movement of a Perdomo epic, yet at less than 3 minutes long, you can’t help but wish for more.

The album closers are “The Ocean and All Its Glory Pt. 1, and Pt. 2. Part 1 contains a similar electric guitar motif to “Seagulls Attack”. The leads are powerful and blissful while the synths are rolling and distinctive. The Nick Mason-like drumming underscores the main theme and allows space for the multitracked guitars and keyboards to flourish. “Pt. 2” continues on the themes established in Pt . 1 while increasing in intensity. The repeating rhythm-guitar passage builds in intensity, while distorted lead guitars and ominous synth passages hint at the impending storm. The song is epic in its structure, a perfect climax to ‘Waves 11’, and only makes me more eager to hear the final installment of the epic year-long series from Fernando Perdomo.