King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Australian psych polymaths The Australian Psych Polymaths have reignited global interest with their unique mix of rock ‘n’ roll and microtonal music, captivating audiences worldwide through energetic live shows and prolific discographies that garner huge fan bases while garnering some criticism for shallow depth and genre-switching gimmickry.

Flight B741, recorded during their Levitation 2016 run at the now-defunct Barracuda, captures King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard at their peak power and vitality. Produced on double vinyl with 250 hand-numbered copies available.

Psychedelic Surf Rock

Early EPs from Willoughby’s Beach and 12 Bar Bruise featured a relaxed sound blending surf music with garage rock; this approachable sound fit perfectly with their outlandish name and began building momentum within Australia’s underground scene.

By 2014, they had released four full-length albums. Murder of the Universe provided an apocalyptic vision of San Francisco in 1968 while their subsequent albums Nonagon Infinity and Quarters (which contained four tracks that each ran for 10 minutes and 10 seconds) displayed their musical prowess and variety.

Omins was both heavy and intricate in equal measures, yet more playful than past work. The album featured an array of sounds to demonstrate their knack for psychedelic surf rock – songs like Loopholes are catchy yet hallucinogenic like many of their other hits; also they make an incredible live act, providing high-energy concerts where listeners can experience this genre first-hand.

Bluesy Rock

King Gizzard of Melbourne are masters of psych-rock. From their mouthful band name and seven-member lineup that spans musical spectrum, to their widely varied albums (ranging from microtonal bananas to AI-themed dystopian metal suites and jazzy odysseys) King Gizzard’s music gets your blood pumping and heart racing.

King Gizzard are an electrifying rock ‘n’ roll monster. From their 2004 12 Bar Bruise debut that paid homage to Oh Sees/Ty Segall-style lo-fi garage rock racket to 2013 concept album Eyes Like The Sky, their sound spans all genres imaginable; jazz freakouts to sunshiny ’60s weirdo pop fuse together with an electric garage energy for an electrifying live experience.

Although their output was extensive, their best material managed to capture their sound within just a few short tracks. Here are 10 songs which highlight how this group managed to release new music while maintaining an identifiable sound.

Microtonal Rock

Microtonal music has gained widespread acceptance as rock musicians continue to explore alternative ways of expressing themselves, with artists using unique tunings to introduce new harmonic relationships and increase improvisation and timbre.

King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard made its first foray into microtonal music in 2017 with Flying Microtonal Banana, their ninth studio album released that year. The album takes its name from Stu Mackenzie’s banana yellow guitar that had been customized by luthier Zac Eccles to accommodate microtonal scales by way of additional frets being installed by Eccles.

Jacob Collier is an innovative multi-instrumentalist who uses reharmonisation to incorporate microtones into his music. His version of Harold Darke Christmas Carol in a key he refers to as G half-sharp major is both haunting and joyful.

Microtonal Pop

Microtonal pop is a genre of music characterized by small intervals between notes known as microtones. While often associated with avant-garde art music, some popular artists also employ microtonal pop to create striking sounds – British pop star Dua Lipa uses this technique in her song “Good in Bed”, for instance, to make its chorus catchy and memorable.

King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard experimented with microtonal tuning for the first time with Flying Microtonal Banana in 2017. Microtonal tuning utilizes intervals smaller than half-step to achieve tonality compared to Western musical tuning standards.

This album features a wide range of experimental sounds, such as droning drones and microtonal guitars tuned with microtonal intervals. Furthermore, dreamlike vocals echoed and distorted create a dreamlike ambience. Microtonal tuning is integral to their musical style and shows their willingness to experiment with new ideas within their sound.