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Kaipa - Kaipa CD (album) cover

KAIPA

Kaipa

 

Symphonic Prog

3.90 | 266 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
4 stars I must admit i've been fascinated with this album of late.The fact Roine Stolt is an original member and still a teenager when this was released (1975) is remarkable. I'm also very intrigued with their sound. Only because later on in 2002 when the band reformed their music sounded a lot like a cross between THE FLOWER KINGS and YES while this debut album has GENESIS written all over it. Anyone who knows me will appreciate that while I like YES alot, it's GENESIS and that more melancholic vibe that i'm drawn to over the "Light" that comes from THE FLOWER KINGS and YES. Well I loved this album from the first time I heard it as these young Swedes offer up a Symphonic delight with a variety of keyboards, chunky bass lines and great guitar leads.The vocals are in Swedish which is also a big plus. I'm going to use the English song titles where I can.

Check out the keyboard intro on "Music Is Light".These guys used something called a "Logan Stringmachine" to great effect, sounding like a combination of strings and mellotron. Guitar follows sounding a lot like Hackett. Amazing sound here.Vocals after 1 1/2 minutes in a spacey atmosphere. Banks-like synths before 4 minutes. Nice.Then the vocals return with floating organ. Huge bass lines 5 1/2 minutes in. Great track ! "Things Have Two Sides" opens with piano as the vocals join in. It's building. I like the vocal melodies too.The organ / bass / drum section is killer then the guitar joins in making it even better.Vocals are back late. "The Anchor" has a light keyboard led intro.The bass becomes prominant then the guitar and synths join in. Guitar comes to the fore after 2 minutes.Vocals 3 minutes in until they stop after 5 minutes and the guitar leads. It's GENESIS-like 6 1/2 minutes in then we get a calm with bass. It does kick back in before it becomes GENESIS-like again 8 minutes in as it settles. Incredible tune !

"Skogspromenad" opens with organ followed by bass and the stringmachine as drums joins in. "Alcting Har Sin Borjan" has a beat with fat bass lines to start.The guitar joins in and it sounds amazing. "See The Dawn" opens with those strings before light keys and a beat take over. A spacey calm before 3 minutes then it kicks in with the guitar leading.Vocals follow and they sound excellent. Nice bass too. "Forlorad I Istanbul" is uptempo with these fast paced intricate sounds. "Oceans Give Birth To Life" is fairly light but with prominant bass as synth sounds join in.The tempo picks up and we get a great sound 2 minutes in.Vocals after 3 1/2 minutes. Water sounds 5 1/2 minutes in with vocal melodies. Strange vocal expressions a minute later then it picks up with the organ leading.it settles back before 8 1/2 minutes.

This is probably closer to 4.5 stars and a must for GENESIS fans out there.

Mellotron Storm | 4/5 |

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