The result of this radical, experimental creative process is one of the densest, most unpredictable statements from a band whose work always rockets in from unexpected angles accompanied by a wealth of subtext and theorems. But you don’t even need even a passing understanding of those Ancient Greek musical modes to appreciate this adventurous new music.
Having assembled full working instrumentals from these jams, Mackenzie and his bandmates began overdubbing flute, organ, percussion and extra guitar over the top. The lyrics, meanwhile, were a group effort. “We had an editable Google Sheet that we were all working on,” says Mackenzie. “Most of the guys in the band wrote a lot of the lyrics, and it was my job to arrange it all and piece it together.”
The result of this radical, experimental creative process is one of the densest, most unpredictable statements from a band whose work always rockets in from unexpected angles accompanied by a wealth of subtext and theorems. But you don’t even need even a passing understanding of those Ancient Greek musical modes to appreciate this adventurous new music. Highlights include ‘Lava’, a suite of pure fire music that swings between spiritual jazz and new age visions, powered by psychedelic saxophones, shimmering cymbals and McCoy Tyner-esque pianos, and the wormhole-riding prog-folk excursions of ‘Magma’, which leads unsuspecting listeners into unfamiliar realms via the siren call of Mackenzie’s flute, while ‘Ice V’ delivers apocalyptic funk with a cool hand at the controls, ‘Hell’s Itch’ hypnotises with its coiling guitar lines, hard honking harmonica and polymorphic basslines, and the ever-shifting ‘Iron Lung’ follows the choppy grooves of its happy/sad songcraft through unexpected twists and turns, a vision of pop refracted through a house of mirrors. Sinister closer Gliese 710, meanwhile, pushes ever onwards into the darkness, its lumbering-but-lithe heaviosity enough to get corpses to nod their heads.
I really like the improv nature of the record, which gives it a kind of jam-band feel (in the best way possible) as well as the production; it genuinely sounds like it was recorded in the 60s/70s, which makes it feel very authentic & faithful to that time period
If I had to pinpoint the exact sound of the record I’d say it’s a blend of Jazz-Rock & Alt Rock with strong Psychedelic 60s overtones, which is more or less exactly what I was hoping for.
It’s an excellent follow-up to “Omnium Gatherum” that I’m enjoying just as much if not even more, perhaps even surpassing that album in my ranking of their discography. Overall it’s a decidedly fun, trippy listening experience, at times verging on Space Rock & Prog
The mighty King Gizzard have unveiled a new nine minute single, “Iron Lung” from their new record, “Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs Mushrooms And Lava”. Check out the video for “Iron Lung” below.
SPOD, the animator for the “Iron Lung” video, states: “When I heard this track, I had just started delving into fully animated AI videos and thought what a good opportunity to use something I barely understand mixed with my love of effects from the dawn of digital video. So I poured myself into a cyber spiral for a couple of months and this is the result. I love how the song seems like endless ascending and descending cycles culminating in these dramatic explosions and lifts, so it felt like a perfect fit to dive into a 9 minute descent to hell and back. Unfortunately, I still dream that I’m spiralling into the eternal abyss, and I’m not sure I exist anymore.”
Stu: Guitar / Flute / Vocals / Bass / Organ / Clavinet / Percussion Amby: Keys / Saxophone / Percussion / Vocals Cavs: Drums Joey: Bass / Guitar / Farfisa Cookie: Keys / Guitar Lukey: Bass / Keys
“Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs Mushrooms And Lava” is the first of three new records King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard have in the pipeline. “Laminated Denim” drops October 12th, while the third and final record, “Changes“, is due out October 28th.
The Fat Angel Sings 