Since the release of 2006’s highly-acclaimed Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue, Kayo Dot have gone through some major changes, losing all but two members and changing labels. In fact, it’s surprising that this band still exists, having virtually imploded little more than a year ago. In late 2006, Kayo Dot lost four members after touring with DACT, and then suffered an even greater loss when Greg Massi, whose distinctive guitar playing was one of the only things uniting Kayo Dot’s sound to that of their prior incarnation as maudlin of the Well, departed as well. This left the band distilled to their core of only Toby Driver and Mia Matsumiya. This duo also make up Tartar Lamb, Toby’s side project created to perform his long-form classically-inspired pieces, and this seems to have influenced the style of composition on their latest record, Blue Lambency Downward.

maudlin of the Well was dissolved to allow for progress, and evolution that became Kayo Dot. Their first release, Choirs of the Eye, was released, appropriately, on John Zorn’s Tzadik label, known for releasing records by bands who are ahead of their time. As the band progressed further away from their metal roots, they moved to what was a more traditional underground metal label, Robotic Empire, known for releasing grindcore, screamo, and the like. Now signed to Hydra Head Records, run by Isis’ Aaron Turner and home of such metal greats as Converge, Cave In, Botch, and Pelican, Kayo Dot have virtually no trace of metal left in their music. In some ways, this record seems the most appropriate for Tzadik. It is almost as if their trajectory of labels has unfolded in reverse, but in any case, this latest album is a triumph of originality. 

The loss of Greg Massi’s guitars in noticeable, though the evolution of Kayo Dot largely rests with Toby Driver. For Blue Lambency Downward, Driver put together an incredible studio band to record his compositions, utilizing a great variety of instruments, and compared with DACT, it is clearly evident that these songs were composed. A disciple of jazz great Yusef Lateef, Toby was influenced by his autophysiopsychic method of performing and writing, in which the musician finds or channels pre-existing music that exists in an astral plane, which is as good an explanation for improvisation and composition as I need.BLD does seem far more focused in its thematic and melodic development than its predecessors, and this is a good thing. The result, like past releases, takes a while to be digested and absorbed, but it is dynamic and often quite beautiful, and always strange and unique, truly unlike anything else out there. Kayo Dot has not so much created a hybrid of styles, but have crafted something very new.

Blue Lambency Downward is the most dynamic Kayo Dot record yet, and regular readers will know that dynamism is very important to me. In contrast to the uniformity of tone and tempo on DACT, Kayo Dot now display a wide array of sounds, speeds, and feeling.Sherik plays tenor and baritone sax as well as vibraphone, and Hans Teuber adds soprano and bass clarinet, as well as alto sax and flute. The horns especially add a welcome element of lyricism to the group, and work well to balance the melancholia of Driver’s vocals and guitars. Matsumiya’s contributions (she plays viola and sings, in addition to violin) again are one of the highlights of the record, providing a range, depth of emotion, and a melodic current which can actually be followed. This creates a tension which is opposed to the often meandering and unclear direction of the guitar chord progression, which can be quite beautiful nonetheless. The use of drummer Charlie Zeleny, of Behold…the Arctopus, was a great choice, as he is a talented musician, and one used to playing atypical compositions. This studio ensemble accentuates the jazz influence in Driver’s writing, and fill out the higher registers.

The shift towards dynamism goes beyond just instrumentation, however, and is clear in the development of the record and in Driver’s writing as well. The songs unfold with changing tempos, crashes of noise, lulls of soft melodies, and controlled chaos reminiscent of late-era Coltrane (if only because it is clear that the chaos is controlled, that a blueprint exists somewhere, even if I can’t yet discern it). The opening title track, and the wonderful closer, ”Symmetrical Arizona,” are both about ten minutes long and have clear parallels. In between these bookends are shorter tracks, from less than three minutes to more than six. These shorter tracks are actually some of the most stunning on the album, allowing the guest musicians to shine. “The Sow Submits,” for instance, is one of the strongest on the record, an instrumental song relying heavily on the whole ensemble. I think Toby’s writing style benefits from the confines of shorter songs, and none of the long repetitive improvisations of DACT are present here. I would really love to see Driver score some music for even larger ensembles, as these tracks demonstrate an ability to write for a wide array of instruments. 

The production on BLD demands a congratulatory paragraph of its own. Again, more than on past records, the production is phenomenal, clear and a fine augmentation of the compositions. This is very much a headphone record, with cross-panned horns and sparkling bells over swirling guitars and Driver’s bizarre, oscillating vocal melodies. Driver also sings on this record, demonstrating a marked improvement over his past vocal work.

Many will lament the changes here, I am sure. The energy and power of Choirs of the Eye is missing, as is the forcefulness and chaos of Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue. Seeing as Greg went on to focus on his own project, Baliset (a more traditional metal outfit that shows potential but has yet to release anything noteworthy), many have assumed that Greg’s departure is noticeable in the very obvious lack of metal on this record. This seems to be the general trajectory of the group over the last several albums, however. Driver’s guitar alone leaves something to be desired. Perhaps it’s the lack of Massi, or perhaps Toby’s has continued to shift in his own direction regardless, but the sheer power (and metal-ness) of Kayo Dot is not present. Many, including myself, miss those aspects of the band, but I applaud the evolution of their sound, and look forward to future works. Kayo Dot are still one of the most unique and influential artists making music today.