Pericles Makris is a singer songwriter who has been making music as a solo project since 2012, yet has only just made it onto my radar. That’s all thanks to his latest album Closure.

By Graeme Smith

Closure is a nine track rumination on the topic of immigration in modern Europe. A topic that is often used as a wedge issue in politics, Pericles Makris shows the human side of it. As someone who has spent a lot of his life travelling across the continent, he gives a personal perspective to the challenges of repeatedly finding oneself a stranger.

The album opens with Sunny Days and we are at once drawn into an intimate and welcoming world. Acoustic guitar creates the atmosphere while the vocals bring with them a sense of wistful nostalgia. With inspirations that include Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens, I’d expect some strong storytelling in the lyrics, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked on every word.

Amsterdam Man brings with it a wonderful sense of place while Walls is heart-breaking and introspective. Title track Closure tells the story of personal transformation through a captivatingly atmospheric and cinematic arrangement. It’s an early highlight.

From there we get songs that range from the stirring (Blues and Tangerines, This Land) to the reflective (The Dying Flame, Fam), all held together by soft, expressive vocals and no thrills acoustic arrangements. The album ends on a poignant note with Remember Palestine which provides a timely reminder of the beauty of a land which is currently a warzone.

If story-rich acoustic folk is your thing, then Closure is a must-listen for you. Pericles Makris has poured so much of himself into it, giving it a strong sense of authenticity. What’s more, he’s not afraid to make a statement with it too.

Closure was self-produced, recorded, mixed and mastered in Pericles Makris’s bedroom in Brussels, Belgium with support from a few friends. You can buy it on Bandcamp as a digital album, and can stream it below.