30 minutes of psychedelic fun

Acting as a love letter to some of their more dedicated fans, Australian fusion band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard produced a short 30-minute album comprising of two songs of exactly 15 minutes each. The album acts as a spiritual sequel to a previous work titled Made in Timeland. A consequence of the pandemic, Made in Timeland was set to be a live-only performance to be released in May of 2020 during the intermission of a concert. However, due to constant delays, this did not happen. The album was eventually released in March of 2022. The band immediately wanted a proper follow-up to this album, which launched the concept behind this project. 

There are many things connecting the two albums, including a ticking clock motif; the trip to the fantasy world Timeland and some subtle references to each other. The first words uttered in the first track, “The Land Before Timeland” are “It’s good to be back.” Referencing both being back in the musical world they created with their lost album and being back to continue what was never really finished.

The album begins with a rhythmic drumming, reminiscent of a clock. The ticking counts the seconds until all 1800 seconds have concluded. The clock is mentioned in the first verse in the lyrics “change the clock through sleight of hand,” directly acknowledging time and a clock. The clock is juxtaposed with a guitar, which is not in time with the rhythmic pulsing that has been established. The introduction of various instruments, sounds and timing creates a polyrhythmic feeling. It gives a slightly uncomfortable feeling, so that the music never gives you time to find your bearings. 

The sporadic nature of the two songs, including the second track “Hypertension” keeps a listener engaged for a time that is meant to be a placeholder, between two halves of a concert. Much like the prior album relating to Timeland, “Hypertension” relies less so on lyrics to paint a picture as it does using various sonic expressions on the guitar, synth, keys and other instruments. The diverse use segmented musical themes feel as though the song is exploring different corners of this timeless space.