Its lineup is constantly changing, but has consisted of Toby Driver, Ron Varod, Mia Matsumiya, Keith Abrams, Tim Byrnes, David Bodie, Dan Means and Terran Olson.
The music of Kayo Dot can not be accurately described by the limiting contemporary genre nomenclatures. Their songs involve complex instrumentation (composed by singer and frontman Driver), generally without refrain. They are substantially longer than typical rock songs, often ranging from 8 to 15 minutes in length.
Kayo Dot's second album Dowsing Anemone with Copper Tongue was released in January of 2006.
On May 6 2008, they released their third full-length, Blue Lambency Downward, on Hydra Head Records.
Their fourth album, recorded in June 2009, named Coyote, was released on 20 April 2010 on Hydra Head Records. It was later brought out on vinyl by Taiga Records in November 2010.
Their first EP, Stained Glass, was released in January 2011 by Hydra Head, with very little fanfare. It was later issued on vinyl by Antithetic Records in August 2011, with a "de-mix" of the song on the second side.
Their second EP, Gamma Knife, was self-released digitally via http://kayodot.bandcamp.com in January 2012. Antithetic Records produced a vinyl release in June 2012.
Their fifth album, Hubardo, was released digitally on August 2013, with a vinyl release to follow.
Their sixth album, Coffins on Io, was released on October 15, 2014 through experimental metal label The Flenser. It is a concept album, and the first full-length album from Kayo Dot not to be self-released since 2010's Coyote.
Side projects include Tartar Lamb, Tartar Lamb II, and maudlin of the Well (to which Kayo Dot can be considered a spiritual successor, though the two projects now co-exist). Toby Driver's solo album In the L..L..Library Loft is also a Kayo Dot album in all but name, mainly being released under his name due to the record label's preference.
Cartogram Out of Phase
Kayo Dot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I realized that there was no moon
Searching for it among the sprinkled stars
I gazed into the lights - reaching you (?)
From millions of years ago
See - see in the past
Outside the present
Outward within my room
The castle of monologues
The endless failures of trials (?)
The moon had disappeared
Because now the world is reversed
And my feet are on her land (?)
I'm out of the room of my mind
With a perfect shape of love
Filling the empty hole in my heart
The lyrics of Kayo Dot’s song “Cartogram Out of Phase” are a meditation on time and space. The song’s narrator begins by describing a moment when they are on a rooftop and look up to find no moon, only stars. The singer then wonders if they are able to reach someone through the stars, someone who lived millions of years ago. The image of the absent moon captures the sense of dislocation that runs throughout the song. The lyrics suggest that the absence of the moon has created a space between past and present, leaving the singer searching for something or someone just out of reach.
The second verse continues to explore the theme of dislocation. The singer describes being “outside the present” and stuck in “the castle of monologues”. The “endless failures of trials” suggest a kind of time loop, where the singer is repeating the same mistakes over and over again. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the final lines: “I’m out of the room of my mind / With a perfect shape of love / Filling the empty hole in my heart”. These lines suggest that the singer has broken free from their cycle of self-doubt and is filled with a sense of contentment.
Overall, Kayo Dot’s “Cartogram Out of Phase” is a hauntingly beautiful song that offers a unique perspective on time and space. The lyrics capture a sense of longing for something that may no longer exist, while also acknowledging the possibility of finding joy in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
On top of the roof
At an elevated position
I realized that there was no moon
Noticed the absence of the moon
Searching for it among the sprinkled stars
Looking through the scattered stars for the moon
I gazed into the lights - reaching you (?)
Staring into the lights and perhaps connecting with someone/something
From millions of years ago
A reference to the distance/time between current moment and past events
See - see in the past
A call to look into/reflect on past events
Outside the present
Not focused on the current moment
Outward within my room
Externally aware while being in a confined space
The castle of monologues
A place where one talks to oneself
The endless failures of trials (?)
Repeatedly trying and failing
The moon had disappeared
Further reference to the moon's absence
Because now the world is reversed
Implying a change or shift in the world's order
And my feet are on her land (?)
Being on or connected to the earth
I'm out of the room of my mind
Being mentally present in the current moment
With a perfect shape of love
With a feeling of love that is whole and complete
Filling the empty hole in my heart
Acting as a remedy to emotional pain or emptiness
Contributed by Nathaniel T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.