MANNEQUIN

It is always nice finding a release from a group you have never heard of, and not only enjoying it, but fully loving its thrill. I am always on the search for new music, and most often than not like what I listen to. Both old and new music resonates within my ears very well, and I can at times develop a small obsession with a record or a particular track. However, on rare occasions, I will be flat out head over heels for an album that I end up loving so much that I fully resonate it being a flat out masterpiece. Lately, that album that has become addictive for my young ears is Kyros' Mannequin.

Kyros has become a new joy for me this year, likewise with Dir En Grey and David Sylvian. Spearheaded by Shelby Warne, they have become a little known, but still very praised English modern prog group ever since their debut of Synaesthesia. I recently binged the band, and it is honestly so fun to hear how each release of theirs is very high in quality. Even their cover album of RECOVER is a joy to hear. However, I think Mannequin is where the band has truly peaked.

Maybe it is recency bias, but this record is just immaculate. Ever since Celexa Dreams the band has taken a page from It Bites' book on making synthy, prog rock music, similar in a vein to the early neo-prog scene of the 80s. However, they fit things in a more modern soundscape, and cranking the whole 80s inspired pop sounds to an eleven, making music that feels like a mix between Sparks' № 1 in Heaven, IQ's Tales From the Lush Attic, and Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love. I am probably one of the bigger advocates of pop within prog music, so having all these sounds that radiate an energy similar to the big hits of the 80s is like candy for my ears.

Yet the 80s inspiration does not feel forced and overly commercial. Mark my words, this is nothing like Simulation Theory or Forbidden Desires where the synths feel bland and the music feels overly commercial. Nah, we get tracks that can nearly reach the 8 minute mark, with elements of metal creeping in, and more alternative aspects going into full force. I doubt you'll hear something like Technology Killed the Kids IV on the radio.

I can even extend further on the music itself, as the elements stated before, the prog rock, the synthpop, and the metal all surprisingly mesh so well on here that the first time I heard this album it felt like I was a caveman discovering fire for the first time. When I first heard the more djenty section on The End in Mind, it was so crazy and a little scary, but it just flowed so well in the song that, while it caught me off guard, felt so natural. The End in Mind in general is my favorite track off here. The energy of it is so lively and fun that whenever it plays I just cannot help but bop along to it.

Oh but the real highlight here is Shelby's voice. She always had pretty great vocals work on previous albums, but I think after she transitioned did her voice really become masterful. She just sounds so happy, that I just cannot help but have a smile on my face whenever I hear one of the songs off this album. I even find myself singing along on occasion. Seriously fun stuff. Though as such, I think maybe the only quote on quote "bad" songs here has to be Showtime and Digital Fear, but they do not weigh down the album at all even without Shelby's amazing voice due to them still being highly enjoyable.

A little late for this album, but even still I think it is a highlight of this year's spectrum of music, right next to Charcoal Grace. It's fun, lively, poppy, progressive, and everything you can hope for in a modern day escapade. You won't regret checking this one out if you love prog music, I can assure you that.

Best tracks: Illusions Inside, The End in Mind, Liminal Space, Technology Killed the Kids IV

Least best tracks: Showtime, Digital Fear

Music is endless, and I am always happy to discover new bands from all over the world creating music of high quality. Last year the name of Kyros came to me after reading they were invited to the Cruise to the Edge festival, so my curiosity made me want to know more about them and found that they had recently released (2024) this great modern prog / art rock album entitled 'Mannequin', whose cover album, by the way, totally caught my attention.

This is a work of a four-piece band whose creativity delivered a 10-track album that lasts almost an hour, 55 minutes of a refreshing sound that I am sure will make you have a good time. It opens with 'Taste the Day', a short two-minute introductory track that might sound like a ballad, but since these first seconds we can appreciate their mixture of acoustic and electric / electronic elements, as well as the great vocal game. It leads to 'Showtime' and oh yeah, the title speaks for itself. There is an evident 80's feeling as well as a neo-prog essence, however, as I mentioned above, the sound is quite refreshing, it is not old-fashioned at all, so despite the obvious influences I believe the label of "modern prog" really fits in. Their great musicianship is shown here, in a vertiginous ride where keyboards and drums take over at first, but then guitar and its solos as well as those great bass lines have their say. An extraordinary instrumental song, the perfect hook to make us stay and wait for the next surprise.

'Illusions Inside' changes the rhythm, it slows down a bit, however, its charm will maintain the interest. Episcopo's amazing bass lines blew up my mind, it was the first that caught my attention here, so kudos to that. Anyway, it is evident that the four members are quite talented musicians, and also that Kyros worries about the quality of the production, which sounds really neat. 'Esoterica' will make you dance, and yeah, prog is danceable of course, you can't deny it. I am sure the band has a vast names of influences which is why their music is so dynamic, so contagious and so good. From Steven Wilson to Metric, from Saga to Pure Reason Revolution, From Yes to IAMX. A guest saxophone is also heard here, adding new colors to an already colorful song. A killer track!

Honestly, while listening to the album I picture myself seeing them in concert and really having fun, it happened in almost every track, just like in 'The End in Mind' which once again has bass lines that left me mesmerized, also their keyboards with a kind of 90125 feeling is really attractive, and I love that balance of modern prog with an 80s essence that sounds like prog rock but also alt pop. There are several changes in rhythm, mood and tempo in this 8-minute track, delivering great moments with and without vocals, but always sharing top-notch quality. They are amazing composers and amazing performers.

'Digital Fear' is a shorter track with a synth-pop / electronic essence that could be used as a movie soundtrack or even as the music for a videogame. It is instrumental, and here they let us know once again that they can create music with no boundaries, reaching a vast amount of genres. 'Ghosts of You' might be the catchiest and poppiest of the tracks here, reminding me of Wham!, Michael Jackson or even New Kids On The Block, however, I am not saying this in a peyorative way, because though this might be far from prog rock, it is full of quality, so please open your mind, stand up, dance and enjoy the show. Kyros are fearless, they are not looking to please anybody before themselves, and I love that freedom.

With 'Liminal Space' the blend of pop, prog and rock solidifies, here the journey is a bit slower and calmer, however it is impossible not to move at the song's rhythm. Yeah, fans of all these genres, unite! There is a slice in this music for every one of us, so don't be afraid to bite Kyros' charm. 'Technology Killed the Kids IV' might be the best example or a neo-prog track in this album, catchy sound yeah, great use of keyboards yeah, emotional vocals and lyrics yeah, rock and spacey atmospheres yeah, constant changes yeah. Another example of how good this band is, hell yeah.

This extraordinary album finishes just as we can expect: with an extraordinary song. 'Have Hope' and its 8 minutes are the cherry on the cake, though its the ending track, Kyros let us know that they could go on and go on for ages because their creativity is endless, limitless. Not a single track sounds like other, not even the passages of a single song, they are constantly changing, reinventing themselves and offering new figures, chords, notes, emotions, challenges, and this is to me complete freedom, and though I am not a musician, if you are free to create whatever you want to, you are already a winner and you understood art.

Kyros has delivered here a gem, and I am really happy to have discovered it, so please, if you are still here reading the end of this review, I wholeheartedly invite you to join the club and listen to them.

Enjoy it!