King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Tease New Techno Album
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, photo by Maclay Heriot
New music from King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is on the way, and it seems the band has veered off into techno for their 28th studio album. The genre-obliterating Australian psych sextet confirmed their new chapter with a video posted to their social channels, succinctly captioned “Album done,” in which Stu Mackenzie and Joey Walker can be seen hunkered over a patchwork synthesizer while thundering club loops blast. Pause at the right second, and you can see Mackenzie’s got his tongue out.
This rings true for a band that’s famously leaped from elaborate organizing concept to concept in their prolific output, and one that’s flirted with diving headfirst into techno since at least 2021’s electronic-inspired Butterfly 2000. Since the release of their groundbreaking symphonic odyssey, Phantom Island, last year, which heavily incorporated orchestral elements, they’ve matched their orchestral touring around the world with rave sets, which have given the band an outlet for their most experimental impulses. In these special electrified presentations, the group has encircled a modular synthesizer table – affectionately named “Nathan” – at center stage and turned in unpredictably altered versions of familiar favorites. It seems Nathan’s finally found his moment to shine in the studio.
King Gizzard’s 28th studio album will be their third on their own p(doom) records imprint, which last year cut ties with Spotify, withdrawing the band’s catalog (and members’ individual side projects, like CAVS’ new self-titled) from the streamer in response to former CEO Daniel Ek’s investments in military AI company Helsing. The band has since set their entire discography to “name your price” on Bandcamp. Between sprawling tours, King Gizzard have found time to work on several highly speculated future projects, with fans waiting on rumored collaborations with Billy Strings, Tame Impala, Geese and Pond.
