King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have released a new single and accompanying music video, titled “Le Risque.” This is the lead single for the band’s upcoming album, Flight b741.

A recent press release describes the upcoming album as “a remarkable change-of-pace, swapping the big picture ambition for the intimacy of six good friends enjoying each other’s company and collaborating on perhaps the warmest, most bonhomie-laden set the group have yet committed to wax.”

Stu Mackenzie elaborates on their approach to making the album, stating “We wanted to make something that was primal, instinctual, more ‘from the gut’, just people in a room, doing what feels right. We wanted to make something fun.”

If this is the case, then “Le Risque” is the perfect lead single to give fans a taste of what the band has in store with the rest of Flight b741. The song showcases the band’s laid-back, joyful approach to creating the album with its infectious energy. The track also features vocals from Michael Cavanagh, the band’s drummer, which is the first time he’s been featured this way.

The aviation themed music video for “Le Risque” was directed by Guy Tyzack. He describes the process of making the video in a recent press release, stating, “We were super lucky to have been granted access to this amazing air hanger. The song was chosen because most of the Gizz guys had a singing part and I was excited for the mic to be passed around at a fun, never stopping pace. The day was super packed tight for what we wanted to get and we didn’t want to cut corners. Our crew was tight and the Gizz guys know how to put on a show. We were so tight for time that I didn’t pee all day.”

“Le Risque” is the first single released since the album announcement, but the band also debuted another track, “Sad Pilot,” at a show in Germany in May. This track has since been conformed to be on the album.

While fans eagerly await the release of the new album, they can look forward to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s North American tour, which will begin two weeks after the release of Flight b741 and run until late November.

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado