Review Summary: He who played a song will conquer thousands of roads.
Bohdan Rozvadovskyi aka SadSvit has been quite a productive artist, publishing three releases in just a few years from 2021 to 2023. His post-punk sound probably reached its peak with the dark and danceable Neon Dream in 2023, and SadSvit recognized that. The time has come to try something different, and the changes are quite significant. With “Magnolia Blossom” SadSvit decided to do something truly blasphemous by post-punk standards: make a happy album! Gone are the apocalyptic lyrics, brooding basslines, and cold aesthetics. Cue songs about the joy of traveling, the joy of painting, the gleeful confidence in one’s ability to overcome the difficulties. Even Bohdan’s voice changed accordingly, acquiring warm and dreamy tone as opposed to his usual moodiness and detachment. Perhaps the only thing that remained unchanged from previous releases is SadSvit’s penchant to invite fellow young artists for a feature. “Sillhouettes,” sung together with Yelyzaveta Uglach from “Struktura Schastya” ended up becoming the most popular track on “Neon Dream,” which is probably why for “Magnolia Blossom” he asked a lady to help with the singing again. This time he invited Kateryna Zakrevska who releases indie-pop songs under the moniker Do Sliz (“To Tears”). She is credited as a featured artist only on one song, but in fact she provides either co-lead or backing vocals almost for every song on the album. Her sweet voice makes the album sound dreamier and warmer still. The most important thing is that this warmth and happiness does not feel shallow, exaggerated, or contrived. I mean, the guy was barely twenty years old at the time, when else to be happy, during a retirement party? Of course, I don’t know the exact reason for this drastic mood change. Maybe he fell in love. Maybe he learned to paint (painting and colors are referenced unusually often in this album’s lyrics). Could be anything. In any case, the joyful feelings projected through these songs feel genuine and not overwhelming. The melancholy is still there, and SadSvit’s happiness is more of a quiet introverted kind.
Unfortunately, this mood change also means that post-punk is gone completely. The album starts with a spoken-word intro “Music in my Life,” and can be roughly divided in two uneven sections: the synth-pop and the rock one. The synths sound has changed, of course, to fit the mood of the record. They used to be the source of drive and groove on “Neon Dream,” but now they are a source of twinkling, shimmering melodies that fit well with both singer’s voices. The good news is that the guitars are still important even on this more obviously synth pop part of the album. Moreover, Bohdan stepped up his game in terms of playing and skills. I even had to double check if perhaps he invited some other musician to help with the guitars, but no, he did it all by himself. We already know from his previous records that he has a knack for writing catchy guitar melodies, which are still there for this album, but now there are also some brief but satisfying soloing sections present in almost every song. Also, this album might be poppier than ever, but it’s also SadSvit’s catchiest release to date. Previously, the choruses could have been hit-or-miss, but on “Magnolia Blossom” almost all of them are downright infectious.
The one issue that I have to cover, however, is the album’s pacing and track order. However catchy these songs are, their melodic basis and the vibe that they emit is rather similar. Which is why placing five sweet synth pop tracks in a row could lead to a bit of sensual overload for a listener, especially if you don’t understand the lyrics. I would say that the bookends to this section of the album are the strongest songs of the bunch “Sea” (song No.2) effectively establishing the mood and “He Who Played a Song” (song No.6) serves as a culmination of this particular sound, and the three songs in between are almost as good, but I wouldn’t blame you if you end up getting an overdose of cuteness.
It’s a good thing than, that this album contains more than just joyful synth pop. The change is heralded by spoken-word interlude “Hope in my Life” (song No.7). SadSvit’s musings about hope are rather light-hearted and naïve, but the instrumental background for them is rather surprising. At some point the song explodes with some of the heaviest riffs on the album supported by ominous wordless vocalizations. The following songs return to the cheerful mood, but the difference is that for the next three tracks the guitar firmly moves to the forefront. It’s not really about heaviness, but SadSvit treats us to some exciting high-speed leads that add much needed drive and power to the album. All the while, the songs remain extremely well-written and catchy, especially “Through Chaos” (song No.9), my favorite track on the album, ripe with energy and vitality.
That’s the best thing about “Magnolia Blossom:” from the opening (also rather naïve but endearing) SadSvit’s musings on “Music in My Life” to the closing ballad “Surely You” the album is filled with the joy of life and the urge to create. I would highly recommend trying it out whenever you happen to be in a peaceful and reflective mood. Just don’t treat it as a post-punk album. Personally, I hope that SadSvit will return to darker sound eventually, but I don’t mind a one-time trip to the land of milk and honey if it’s as well-written and executed as “Magnolia Blossom.”
