I Do. Raman.

So, big words are used in announcing I Do, Raman.'s debut album. With big words I mean the name Jeff Buckley. No one, before nor after touched me so deeply and profoundly as Saint Jeff did with his first and only album 'Grace'. It is impossible for any artist to ever make such an almost divine impression on me, but, that out of the way, what do I make of I Do?

For some weeks I am able to listen to the album and the release date is upon me. Despite this effort, enjoyable as it was, I am not able to truly make up my mind. Oh, I Do is good, very good even, but how good exactly only time can tell. The question is whether the album will grow, like only the extremely good albums do, some right up to a level where only a few albums ever wind up: the musical stratosphere.

The first impressions of Raman. came by way of two singles released last year, 'Mantra' and 'Talking (Pt.2)'. Both songs went down quite well and made me more than a little curious for the upcoming album. The latter single made me warn Raman. not to go swimming in a river with his clothes on. It shows that the comparison with Buckley is not such a strange one. Sure, Raman.'s voice is not so powerful and yet angelic, the mood he creates and chords he uses, conjure images of Jeff Buckley but also of acoustic blues in a Ry Cooder, 'Paris, Texas' style. What is not there, is the Gary Lucas magical sprinkles like in 'Mojo Pin' and 'Grace'.

Photo: Anton Coene

Raman., is Simon Raman from Ghent in Belgium, who under the naam Raman. released a powerblues EP in 2019 named 'Birth Of Joy' with his band members Bernd Coene and Jasper Peeten. Since then a lot must have changed, as today Simon Raman has gone soul searching and returned to music with I Do, assisted by new band members Kris Auman op bas, Sylvester Vanborm op drums, with the additional support of producer/musician Koen Gisen, David Poltrock (mellotron, keys) and Esther Coorevits (alto violin). Together they climb mountains, go down deep troughs, sore through space and surf ethereal waves.

On the album you will hear introspective songs, some expanded all the way up to bluesrock explosions on a slide guitar. The mix makes for very pleasant and intense listening. Sounds familiar? Raman. truly explores all the edges and corners of his emotions on this album and does so successfully. I Do has so many different angles and they all work. That makes it an album to pay attention to and not just for the short run. Just listen to how right after the explosion 'Talking' becomes, the album reaches deeper with the ever more expanding 'It's All Over'. However, a highlight is not something found only in isolation on I Do. You will find them all over the album.

Raman. has truly surprised me, well maybe not completely, as I was forewarned by the two singles. This is a really good album and what a great first album to review in 2026 it is. The only question remaining is, as I already wrote, how far will the album go?

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

The album may be on his Bandcamp site soon:

https://ramanmusicofficial.bandcamp.com/music