Mood Swings is the second full-length album (plus some singles) by pianist/composer Zsolt Pataki, an artist who was born and raised in Hungary and is now living on a small island in northern Germany. All of Zsolt's solo piano recordings (so far!) have been released in 2024, but he has been a musician since childhood and has worn a variety of musical "hats" over the years. An avid fan of Whisperings Solo Piano Radio (and now one of the artists featured on the broadcast!), Whisperings inspired Zsolt to start composing piano solos and he felt that he had finally found where he wanted to be musically. Mood Swings is a collection of thirteen original piano solos dating back as far as 2017, and includes Zsolt's first piano solo. Some of the older pieces were set aside for awhile, but when Zsolt revisited them, he was able to bring them to a more polished and expressive state.

When I heard Zsolt's first album, Safe In the Storm, earlier this year, I was immediately enchanted and impressed with the honesty and sincerity in his music as well as the heartfelt beauty of each piece. Sometimes a second album by an artist can be disappointing, but that is definitely not the case here. Sometimes, too, an album with pieces composed over a period of time can feel kind of uneven, but that is not true here, either. Both of Zsolt's albums are truly exceptional, and I think Mood Swings is amazing.

The album begins with "A Perfect Day," a beautifully warm and relaxed piece that feels as blissful as its title suggests. You have to be very close to someone to be able to hear the sound of their heart, and "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat" suggests that kind of warmth and intimacy - also very soothing and calm. Somewhat more dramatic, "Journey Into the Unknown" conveys a touch of mystery as well as a sense of moving forward - sometimes with confidence and sometimes more hesitantly - a favorite. "To Be With You Again" is a dreamy love song, pure and simple! I love the movement of the rolling broken chords in "From Shadow to Light" as well as the subtle mood changes as the piece evolves. The deeply introspective "Alone On a Sunday" is quiet and peaceful, but also a bit melancholy. Like a soliloquy, total honesty is expressed. "Passing" is one of the two singles that was included on this album and is another favorite. Inspired by the loss of Zsolt's mother, the depth of emotion comes through the music in a very powerful and tangible way. "Restless" seamlessly moves through a variety of changes in mood and style with heartfelt emotion and an expressive touch. "Summertime Memories" is the first piano solo Zsolt composed and is dreamy and nostalgic. The piece is uncomplicated and yet it conveys so much! The album comes to a close with the second previously-released single, "Grateful." Composed out of gratitude for the people who have helped Zsolt get his music out into the world, it's a warm and touching ending for a great album!

Mood Swings is available from Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes and streaming platforms including Spotify and YouTube. If you'd like to learn more about Zsolt Pataki, we did an interview recently that you can find here. Mood Swings is VERY highly recommended!