MEZZO change their sound around for a jazzy outing with Kaleidoscope.
Title: カレイドスコープ Label: Lantis Release date: 09/11/2019 Genre: Jazz-Pop
Tracklist:
1- カレイドスコープ
Kaleidoscope mixes traditional Eastern Asia elements with upbeat pop-rock that has the hand of MIKOTO (Marginal #4, KENN, etc). The song is pretty straightforward.
The focus is on a strong bass sound, something that both the drums and bass pull off. On top of it are simple guitar riffs and little details that make this song stand out: the delicate, dreamy piano and synth melodies and the organ hits.
This song clearly is a new page for MEZZO, duo best known for its emotional ballads not for uptempo pop-rock tunes.
Although this sounds nothing like you could expect from them, the duo pulled it off pretty neatly. At this point in his career, it is safe to say that KENN already breathes MIKOTO’s compositions.
Both have been collaborating for years so KENN already has his singing style tailored for this trademark MIKOTO song.
On the other hand, Atsushi Abe is having fun, his performance is filled with excitement, something that we clearly never listen to in MEZZO’s usual more somber songs.
All in all, Kaleidoscope is a fun song. Not typical of this group AND not tailored for this group as it sounds like any other song that could be in another music franchise. This happens, unfortunately, because MIKOTO uses always the same formula, by now being already extremely predictable in his compositions.
Solid track but the duo seems to be losing their identity in favor of a generic pop-rock sound.
This song is available for streaming via Spotify.
