RYDHOLM SÄFSUND

Album: Kaleidoscope

Genre: Hard Rock / Funk / Pop

Release Date: April 12th, 2024

Country: Sweden

Label: Godispacen

This year already saw me listening to some excellent Prog / Metal releases that I enjoyed a lot, yet I also noticed a certain seriousness within this broad offering (maybe besides Horror Thrashers F.K.Ü., who added their part of black humor to my listening habits), so the colorful “Kaleidoscope” by Swedish duo RYDHOLM SÄFSUND looked like a welcome change of pace. This new album by former ART OF ILLUSION is out on April 12th, 2024 with 12 songs about different stages of falling in love, also featuring a long list of guest musicians on guitar, percussion, and the full palette of brass instruments.

While the project got a rather bulky, new name, also due to the change in style from AOR towards a more Musical-like sound, the overall vibe of the album is incredibly light-feeted. For their first full-length in 2021, "X Marks the Spot", I described their work as a "musical ray of sunlight coming through the clouds", and this is even more fitting for the new record. The music on "Kaleidoscope" is less heavy, coming along with more Funk, Rock and even Pop elements (glad I called my blog "Mostly Metal" ;-) , but always absolutely well composed and -produced.

Instrumental-wise, percussion and bass deliver hot rhythms, on which the amazing brass harmonies can unfold. Guitar and keyboards keep themselves mostly supportive in the background, unless they step into the spotlight for short solo sections. Lars' vocal performance shines bright again over the great, instrumental arrangements - One can literally hear him smile while singing his huge melodies with an impressive easiness.

All-together, the songs on "Kaleidoscope" are a heart-warming, entertaining listen, coming along as colorful as its cover thanks to the diverse song-writing, awesome production, and outstanding vocals. In case you're up for some funky grooves and catchy melodies in between the upcoming mosh pits to dance into spring - Here we go :-)

Written by Katha

Line-Up:

Anders Rydholm – bass, rhythm guitars, keyboards
Lars Säfsund – lead and background vocals, synth-solo on “Love Will Find A Way”, bass-synth on “Don’t Make Me Do It”
Frank Nilsson – drums

Joel Kibble – background vocals on “Seven Signs Of Love”
Kristian Larsen – guitar solos
Robert Säll – guitar solo on “The Plains Of Marathon”
Tim Pierce – guitar solo on “4th of July”
Stefan Olofsson - piano on “What’s Not To Love”
Wojtek Goral – sax solo on “What’s Not To Love”, “Don’t Make Me Do It”, ”Bucket List”
Håkan Malmberg – sax solo on “Sara’s Dream”
Pelle Holmberg – rhythm guitar on: “Love Will Find A Way”, guitar solo on ”Bucket List”
Matt Bissonette – bass on “Now And Forever”
Ola af Trampe – rhythm guitar on “Now And Forever”
Larry Salzman – percussion
Nicolas Lazo Zubieta – congas on “Now And Forever”
Pablo Cepeda – congas and bongos on “Sara’s Dream”
Martin VerDonk – percussion: “Love Will Find A Way”, “What’s Not To Love”

Horns:
Tom Walsh – lead trumpet, fluegelhorn
Mike Davies – trumpet
Nichol Thompson – trombone
Fredrik Wiklund – trombone on “4th of July”, “The Bet”, “Love Will Find A Way”
Horns on Now and Forever
Chuck Findley – lead trumpet
Charlie Davies – trumpet
Gary Herbig – saxofon
Nick Lane – trombone
Joackim Wickström – trumpet (verse 2)

Track-List:

1. Now And Forever

2. Hey You

3. What’s Not To Love

4. Seven Signs of Love

5. Don’t Make Me Do It

6. 4th of July

7. The Bet

8. Sara’s Dream

9. Bucket List

10. The Plains of Marathon

11. Kaleidoscope

12. Love Will Find A Way

Mostly Metal

RYDHOLM SÄFSUND - Kaleidoscope