Cyan Kicks are here to invite you into their universe, one full of love, acceptance and empowerment. On the release of their third album I Never Said 4Ever, the band have crafted a sound aimed at being inclusive and emotionally driven. Working with the likes of Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) and producer Zakk Cervini (Bring Me The Horizon, Poppy, Architects, Beartooth) it would seem scaling up, precision and fine-tuning seems to be the focus with I Never Said 4Ever, but with all that resource thrown into the mix, how does it fare in striking the balance between its clean, meticulously crafted recording process and holding on to emotion and connection which have always been the core golden thread for Cyan Kicks?
The opening one-two punch of ‘i should stop acting cool’ and title track ‘I Never Said 4Ever’ makes clear the band’s statement of intent with a grandiose sound that still makes vocalist Susanna Alexandra the main focus. Her seemingly effortless ability to shift from ethereal and delicate to soaring ascent is elevated by the instrumental arrangement and its pinpoint inclusion with great use of drumming patterns and synths to create impactful explosive contrast. The Finnish four-piece have made quite the name for themselves, opening 2022 with their larger-than-life anthem ‘Hurricane’, which was subsequently an contender for Finland’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest. The song features as a familiar soundbite on the album but does not feel out of place at all, instead showcasing its success and versatility.
“the album kicks into another gear with its bombastic hooks and flare for a varied verse.”
As the album progresses, creative diversity begins to shine through with ‘lostboi’ slightly shifting the formula used so far and leaning on dance-type beats and electro stylings whilst ‘Back Ashore’ features distorted guitars that sit more prominently in the mix giving off a heavier edge. However, it isn’t until ‘See The Light’ where the album kicks into another gear with its bombastic hooks and flare for a varied verse. A dual-vocal bridge section and elements of rap and screaming vocals are sprinkled throughout the track and this seemingly inspires a wave of inspiration which ‘Invincible’ rides perfectly as a more out and out rock song, dropping some of the electronic and high production elements and swapping them out for guitars and drums to sit at the forefront and therefore showcasing a song that, when played live, will be the stomping singalong it was intended to be.
‘Into You’ affirms the band’s ability to craft bright uplifting pop-centric music with infectious hooks and melodies. The final highlight comes in the shape of ‘Someone Like You’, with is soaring chorus and assertive, confident delivery. The accompanying music video depicts the tale of two lovers caught in conflict of their own overwhelming emotions of love. It feels like the whole package in terms of a song combining all the elements that make up Cyan Kicks sound.
I Never Said 4Ever is a brilliant slice of electro pop-rock that executes precision and clean production whilst spending the course of the album naturally shifting along the scale of rock and pop music without fear. There are moments here where the band show they are able to combine these influences effectively and in turn this lifts these songs to another level. The listening experience is immersive, wholesome and relatable all whilst allowing Susanna Alexandra to reach to the corners of her incredible vocal talent. Cyan Kicks do indeed nail the balance with I Never Said 4Ever with a collection of songs that are potential arena-rocking anthems whilst also remaining beautifully and poignantly emotional.