‘Contravertical’ is the lead track from Kazyak’s new album, ‘Odyssey’, and follows on from their previous release, ‘Camouflage’, which they released back in June. ‘Odyssey’ comes out on 16 August.
‘Contravertical’ feels as though it’s been transmitted from space, and that’s even without the mission control style conversation at the start. Ethereal vocals, reminding us a lot of Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, and other artists of that era. There’s a whole Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” vibe to the track; like it’s out of place and time – it’s science fiction and yet not of this day and age. It’s psychedelia crossed with prog rock, and feels spontaneous while also feeling wholeheartedly planned. The band have taken inspiration for their album from Joseph Campbell’s 1988 book and tv series, ‘The Power Of Myth’, which quotes as its premise, “myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life”. Kazyak describe their music as essentially folk, but, with ‘Odyssey’ their sound is most definitely 60s/70s rock influenced.
‘Contravertical’ is an excellent play on words – it sounds like a malapropism of the word “controversial”, while at the same time causing you to ponder what “contravertical” could actually mean. Contra means opposite – so the opposite of vertical is horizontal. But the space imagery would suggest a vertical trajectory…are they suggesting the answers are here on earth? Or they lay within? Certainly the opening lines, which focus on centrist thought, might suggest such a theory. Mind blown.
Find Kazyak online on Instagram, Twitter, Facebookofficial website. ‘Odyssey’ is out August 16.
