Deep Purple is a band that needs no introduction. At this point, even if you do not know the band’s music by name, chances are you have heard their music somewhere or the other. A career spanning decades influencing bands by the tens of dozens, Deep Purple are legends by any standard. Fast forward to 2020, one would assume that if not all, most possibilities of rock music could already be explored. Oh, is rock dying? No, not quite. Deep Purple’s latest offering ‘Whoosh!’ is evidence enough that rock as a genre of music continues to be innovative and above all fun.

It is quite incredible to see the band stick to some of their stylistic and signature sounds while still bringing fresh and memorable numbers to the table. Well, I suppose armed with decades of fine musicianship and industry experience, Deep Purple is poised to show exactly how experience pushes the scope for sonic and musical innovation.

To begin with, ‘Whoosh!’ is quite a long album coming in with 13 songs. But then, as far as good experiences go, the band’s newest offering is one you would hope that would not end soon. So a long tracklist simply works just right. The album opens with “Throw my Bones”. This number is topped with tasty guitar hooks and addictive singing styles backed by a solid rhythm section and lush strings. A fantastic opening with a stellar chorus section, the song sets the bar quite high in all aspects. What I love about the band is that their music creates a beautiful aura and ambiance which is so rarely seen.

“Nothing At All” is a fabulous song that comes together with a soothing ambiance and aura. This song showcases the band’s pure brilliance to make their music sound like therapeutic conversations. Quite the experience and quite the wonder. “The Long Way Around” is reminiscent of classic rock riff work. Tasty and thick riffs building into big sections of the music sounds mad on this song. Now let’s talk about “The Power Of The Moon”. This song will leave you starstruck. The progressive elements on this song will impress even the worst of the prog snobs. The musicianship on the instrumental section is mind-blowing. The control over the instrumentations, the suspense built by the guitars and keys, the gnarly bass, subtly gritty drums, and the beautiful organ solo are to die for. This song is a marvelous showcase and probably one of the band’s finest moments in their musical history. Truly powerful!

The thrill does not stop there. “Remission Possible” takes over where “The Power Of The Moon” left, treating you with an extended instrumental masterpiece. Absolutely exceptional to listen to these two songs back to back. Another super fun track is “And The Address” with its Cream on steroids vibe coming right at you. Finally, the album ends with “Dancing In My Sleep”. Needless to say, this track is an absolutely wild ending to an exceptionally wild album. Among the sublime work on the music and the right amount of cowbell, the timbre and textures on this song are thoroughly enjoyable, and it is a good close to ‘Whoosh!’

Deep Purple makes being an incredible look effortless with ‘Whoosh!’. The album is a fun and enthralling ride into rock and progressive music while still being mindbogglingly impressive to even the worst prog-snobs. There is no reason to dislike this album quite literally. From the compositions to the arrangements to the mix and production- the record is a win all the way. By itself ‘Whoosh!’ presents itself as a standard of impeccable musicianship and production quality which is obviously backed by the rich trove of the band’s experiences over the decades.

In essence, this album inspires. It does not matter what genre of music is your focus because ‘Whoosh!’ by Deep Purple is a case study of everything that makes a record great. You could even ignore the band’s previous discography in the wild chance that this is a first timer’s introduction to Deep Purple. Of course, anybody would fall in love with this record and the band! The jaw-dropping performances are nothing short of being potentially influential for generations of musicians to come. What blows my mind is that there are no fancy stunts the band uses to compensate for the lack of anything on the record. There is nothing to cover up or make up for. The album is brimming with passion with a zeal for excellence- something that made Deep Purple a legendary band.

All in all, anybody who loves music has no reason to miss ‘Whoosh!’ by ‘Deep Purple’.