Retro-prog is a unique direction. What exactly it is — that's hard to explain; you have to hear it. The claim that retro-prog is merely an imitation of 1970s progressive rock is devoid of any meaning. Let's put it this way: retro-prog is music inspired by art rock, progressive rock, and psychedelia of that era, yet possessing its own unmistakable specificity that ensures you'll never confuse it with anything else. So here is the new album, bearing the simple and concise title "I Am," from FLOWER KINGS keyboardist TOMAS BODIN, assisted by his bandmates — bassist Reine Fiske and drummer Jaime Salazar — as well as GLENN HUGHES guitarist JJ Marsh. The fundamental difference from Bodin's previous work is the presence of vocals; the album features three vocal parts, two of them female. At the same time, the vocals are chosen so that they absolutely do not overshadow the instrumental side, and vice versa.
The disc contains only three compositions — many singles have more — yet upon closer inspection, you'll notice that the shortest piece runs nearly 19 minutes, and each composition is divided into numerous sections. I'll be honest: listening to the album, I was completely unaware of these sections. I heard transitions but couldn't trace where one ended and another began. In this regard, the album is made more than professionally — the compositions, despite their considerable length, form a cohesive whole. Moreover, I caught myself perceiving the entire album as a single song. Bodin has done brilliant work — delicate, unobtrusive female voices, a male vocal with a slightly plaintive quality, a fascinating interplay of keyboards and guitar — all of this creates an inimitable atmosphere. The technical side is equally worthy of admiration; Marsh and the FLOWER KINGS musicians operate as a single organism, achieving a brilliant effect.
At the same time, the absence of shortcomings is the album's main shortcoming. For all its obvious strengths, Bodin's album is not unique within its genre. The musician invents little; the album is not brimming with experiments. Instead, it employs techniques already developed by himself and other bands. These techniques are executed flawlessly, yet a persistent feeling accompanies the listening experience — that all of this has already happened, in one form or another, multiple times before. On the other hand, perhaps that is also a strength. In any case, this fact in no way diminishes the musicians' achievements. The album is more than interesting and pleasant to listen to, and it will take a worthy place in the collection of any progressive rock fan, regardless of their preferred direction.