King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Polygondwanaland

2017 was the year of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. No other band in the world of alternative music, especially for psychedelic music enthusiasts, has pushed the boundaries so far in every possible sense and specifically contributed so much to the revitalization of a genre that in some cases has been stuck in repetitive and established patterns. No other band (at least in recent times) has, I believe, ever managed the feat of releasing four albums (with a fifth still pending) in a year, each different from the other and all so convincing, as is the case with the Australian band formed in 2010 in Melbourne, Victoria.

As if that weren't enough, 'Polygondwanaland' was released as a free digital download. This experimentation in the release format accompanies the sonic experiments proposed by the group (which complemented this long marathon with particular focus on instrumental experimentation and particularly in the area of so-called microtonal music) and serves as a manifesto inviting listeners to download and distribute the album for free. An invitation extended to record labels as well and, in my opinion, yet another successful choice to conclude 2017 in an explosive way.

Regarding the album's structure, 'Polygondwanaland' immediately showcases its highlight with the ten-minute track 'Crumbling Castle', a well-structured song where the dominant theme of the entire album becomes clear, founded on the accompaniment and parallelism of guitar riffs and vocal performances. The album flows without interruptions between each track and alternates between more obsessive psychedelic pieces like 'Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet', 'Inner Cell', with experiments bordering on psychedelic jazz as in 'Sketches of Brunswick East', exemplified by the title track, 'The Castle In The Air', 'Horology', and the concluding 'The Fourth Colour'.

What is surprising in any case—beyond the great inventiveness—is the solidity that the band led by Stu Mackenzie manages to confer on the entire work, which ideally sits between 'Flying Microtonal Banana' and the already mentioned 'Sketches of Brunswick East' (though it does not reach their heights) and demonstrates the enormous self-awareness of this group, who at this moment manages everything with disarming ease.