Warm, nostalgic and gloriously retro. Retropolis is the 1996 album by The Flower Kings: a loving tribute to classic progressive rock.

The short version

The 1996 second studio album by the Swedish band The Flower Kings, and the record that turned them from a promising newcomer into a leading light of the 1990s prog revival. As its name suggests, it is their most nostalgic, vintage-sounding album, a heartfelt tribute to the classic prog of the 1970s — Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd above all. Anchored by the eleven-minute instrumental title track and the soaring anthem ‘There Is More to This World’, it blends grand symphonic epics with warmer, song-based pieces, all played with warmth and skill. Rich and inviting, it remains an early fan favourite.

Announcing themselves in style

Retropolis found The Flower Kings building fast on the promise of their debut. It featured the same warm, classic-styled core line-up: Roine Stolt on guitars, vocals and keyboards, Tomas Bodin on keyboards, Stolt’s brother Michael Stolt on bass, Jaime Salazar on drums and Hasse Bruniusson on percussion. Two important guests added colour: vocalist Hasse Fröberg — whose soaring, Jon Anderson-like voice would soon make him a permanent member — and saxophonist Ulf Wallander. With its artwork nodding to the classic film Metropolis, the album leaned consciously into vintage progressive forms, and in doing so helped establish the band as a serious force in the genre’s revival.

The sound

Retropolis is nostalgic, vintage prog rock, symphonic and warm. It wears its 1970s influences with pride — the soaring guitar and grand keyboards of Yes, the spacious atmosphere of Pink Floyd, the melodic grandeur of Genesis — yet never tips into mere imitation, keeping the band’s own warmth and identity intact. The album mixes sweeping instrumental epics with song-based pieces and shorter interludes, from grand symphonic builds to jazzy, sax-tinged passages and delicate piano vignettes. Stolt’s expressive guitar and laid-back vocals lead the way, with Bodin’s lush Hammond and Mellotron providing rich, vintage textures. Warm, tuneful and lovingly crafted, it is a heartfelt celebration of classic-styled progressive rock.

Reading up on modern prog? The books go deeper →

The songs

The instrumental title track ‘Retropolis’ is the album’s eleven-minute centrepiece, a dazzling showcase for Stolt’s guitar and Bodin’s keyboards. ‘There Is More to This World’ is a soaring, anthemic highlight, sung by guest Hasse Fröberg in gorgeous, Yes-like fashion. And ‘Rhythm of the Sea’ is a spacious, atmospheric standout with a distinctly Pink Floyd flavour.

Reception and legacy

Retropolis was warmly received and proved a breakthrough of sorts, widely praised for its warmth, its vintage charm and its heartfelt love of classic prog. Reviewers singled out the instrumental title track and the anthem ‘There Is More to This World’, and welcomed Hasse Fröberg’s guest vocals, which pointed the way to the band’s future sound. It marked the moment The Flower Kings became impossible to ignore among fans of the 1990s prog revival, and set the template for the acclaimed run of albums that followed. Today it is regarded as an early high point — a warm, nostalgic and hugely likeable album from a band just hitting their stride.

The verdict

Retropolis is The Flower Kings paying loving tribute to their heroes: nostalgic, vintage prog rock built on soaring guitar, lush keyboards and warm melodies. Come for the epic instrumental title track and the anthemic ‘There Is More to This World.’ Warm, tuneful and heartfelt, it is essential listening for anyone who likes their progressive rock classic-styled, vintage and full of melody — and an early high point from one of the genre’s most enduring and prolific bands.

Browse the bookshelf in the footer →