A concept album in both scale and arrangement, Kaleidoscope sees Iden Mozafari exploring his creative talent throughout a myriad of genres that range from reggae and grunge to soul and trance. Exploring the entire record through a constant interspersing of interludes between each full length piece, IDN goes a step above in trying to give his songs an additional layer of introspection for the listener. It’s remarkably diverse, yet wholly cohesive. It’s highlights definitely come through in IDN’s production palette and sensibilities for soundscapes.
Kickstarting with ‘Heather Grey’, IDN opens the record with an effortlessly smooth piece of dream pop. Luscious and atmospheric, ‘Heather Grey’ is a lustful track that has distinct r&b influences. It’s not a run of the mill love song, choosing instead to be far more seductive and sultry in its tone and vocal performance. Immediately, on the second track, the vibe switches almost wholly. Far more funk influenced, with elements of drone and experimental attached to it, ‘Do You Know What I Mean?’ is delectably catchy while still being driven by a production background that sounds almost impossibly different from the energy it exudes. On ‘Groove Bot’, the vocals are put through a processor to craft a track that’s like a dark hyper pop fever dream.
The constant barrage of innovation never ceases from IDN. The album’s later pieces, like ‘But I Just Wrote Our Love Song’ are faint and hushed indie pop escapades that are dreamy and surrealist.
Kaleidoscope is a wonderfully diverse project, meticulous in its arrangement, style, and production Iden Mozafari is an absolute phenom of an artist, and I can’t wait for the experiments he’s going to bring out later.