King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s 16th studio album is out now.
For years it seemed like Gizz were actively trying to pursue the polar opposite sound to their most recent creation. Being the only band I know who was nominated for Best Jazz album and then Best Hard Rock/Metal album at the ARIA’s in two coinciding years, it feels as if the lads are finally beginning to tie their sounds together with the release of their 16th studio album, K.G.
The harmonization of flute with intricate guitar picking akin to previous works such as ‘Horology’ shows off this incorporation of sounds in title track ‘K.G.L.W’.
Blending between acoustic and electric guitars on ‘Minimum Brain Size’ and ‘Straws In The Wind’ gives a unique contrast to progressive rock that was popularised by acts like Jethro Tull.
With a cheeky ‘Volume 2’ added to Jason Galea’s album artwork, fans in the Gizzverse have gone into a frenzy speculating that ‘K.G’ is actually ‘Flying Microtonal Banana’ Volume 2. An argument that sonically I agree with.
Furthering their exploration of quarter-tone tuning, K.G also adds the middle-eastern vibe that fans adored in Volume One. Similar to artists like Altin Gun, GOAT and ‘Tinariwen’, who use Turkish stylings to enhance their psych-rock approach, K.G shows sensibilities and influence from all over the world.
The fast-paced percussion on ‘Ontology’ pursues these sounds whilst the tonal qualities of guitar feel like a throwback to the Western vibes of ‘Eyes Like The Sky.’
‘Intrasport’ could easily be a song by Bashka, a group who focuses on creating Turkish rooted dance music. It’s quite possibly one of the most left of centre songs and dance-based songs the group has released, especially when you think back to the garage rock stylings of ‘12 Bar Bruise.’
Climaxing in ‘The Hungry Wolf of Fate’, Gizz round out K.G with the ominous and sludge driven track that is seemingly heavier than the groups speed metal album ‘Infest The Rats Nest’, with it’s hugely intervalled and distorted riffs being impossible to not bang your head to.
Check out the album below.
5/5
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