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Kaipa: Children Of The Sounds
Kaipa - Children Of The Sounds CD Album Review

Kaipa: Children Of The Sounds

Melodic Progressive Rock
5.0/5.0

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InsideOut Music
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 14.09.2017

Kaipa needs little introduction to fans of melodic progressive rock. Formed and lead by composer and keyboard player Hans Lundin in 1973, Kaipa are a legend in their native Sweden and around the world. The band returns with their thirteenth album in a span of more than 40 years, Children Of The Sounds. With Lundin, Kaipa features additional luminaries in the prog field: Per Nilsson (g, Scar Symmetry), Morgan Ågren (d, Karmakanic), Jonas Reingold (b, The Flower Kings, Karmakanic), Patrik Lundström (v, Ritual), and Aleena Gibson (v). Additionally, violinist Elin Rubinsztein returns as a guest musician.

Kaipa Band Photo

Kaipa

There's little to quibble about when it comes to a Kaipa album. I like everything about the band and their music. Their neo-classical progressive rock never gets old for me. While some may say the Kaipa sound is retro or vintage, I'd say it continues to be vibrant and fresh for the present day. There's many things to enjoy about Kaipa's music and Children Of The Sounds.

One is their careful crafting of melody and harmony in every song, especially heard in the guitar lines and vocal arrangements. Often these two are intertwined as within Children Of The Sounds. Another favorite element is their wistful and ambient use of keyboards. This can come in a airy piano line or in atmospheric orchestration. The symphonic synths are strong within The Shadowy Sunlight and Children Of The Sounds.

Even more pleasing is when the violin is used as the symphonic embellishment, and then also used in tandem with other instruments. There's the pairing with acoustic guitar in the first half of What's Behind The Fields. In the second half of Like A Serpentine, the violin unites with the keyboards to carry a memorable melody. Within The Shadowy Sunlight, the violin opens the song, before giving way to the synth orchestration.

But my favorite element in a Kaipa arrangement is the frequent and abundant guitar solos found in most every song. Per Nilsson must make other guitarists jealous. He gets so much room to stretch and soar. It's scary good stuff. Finally, all these things are wrapped up in lightly technical and intriguing arrangements that keep you engaged and entertained. Kaipa's Children Of The Sounds is the perfect storm of classic melodic progressive rock, highly enjoyable and quite recommended.



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The Bottom Line

Kaipa's Children Of The Sounds is the perfect storm of classic melodic progressive rock, highly enjoyable and quite recommended.

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