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.
Zlida Caosgi
Kayo Dot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulled out from beneath a pile of time
He remembered that was where he left it
Though it had less rust back then
Sunlight pushing through the eaves
The poet and the sculptor
The hermit and the madman
He dropped the stone from the cottage roof
It hit the ground on a bed of dirt
Rolled to the grass like a tired old man
Turning asleep away from the sun
The distant rumbling of thunder made him stop and think
The rushing of the thunderhead
A storm blown in from heaven
And rain like whispers in the nearby forest leaves
The forest roof and the swaying of its cathedral eaves
He glanced up at the LIGHTNING ROD
And rushed toward his ladder
He fastened the ROD upon the roof
To the dream that promised meaning
Promised purpose to his life, his loneliness and love
And dancing naked as the rain threw down
Its pitchers in rage upon the ground
He prayed and wept as the lightning crept
Above the poet and his rite
And when the day had turned to night
With the fury of the tempest
A splitting of the laden sky
The LIGHTNING ROD exploded
With the stone upon the roof
And left a seed magnificent
With these words inscribed thereon
The lyrics of Kayo Dot's song "Zlida Caosgi" depicts a scene of a man who retrieves his hammer and chisel from his shed, reminiscing about its previous condition when it had lesser rust. He drops the stone from the cottage roof, observing it as it rolls to the ground. The distant rumbling of thunder makes him think, and he glances up at the lightning rod, rushing toward his ladder to fasten it to the roof. He prays and weeps as the lightning creeps above him, and when the day turns to night, the lightning rod explodes with the stone upon the roof, leaving a seed magnificent.
The song highlights themes on the pursuit of purpose and meaning in life, as well as the beauty and danger of nature. The man in the lyrics seems to find solace in connecting to something greater than himself, represented by the lightning rod and the natural elements around him. The explosion of the lightning rod represents a transformative moment, marking a new beginning and a seed for growth.
Line by Line Meaning
The hammer and the chisel from out in the shed
Tools of creation found in the shed
Pulled out from beneath a pile of time
Reclaimed from the neglect of time
He remembered that was where he left it
Memory recalls previous location
Though it had less rust back then
The tool was less worn in earlier times
Sunlight pushing through the eaves
Light penetrating the roof's edges
The poet and the sculptor
Artists of different mediums
The hermit and the madman
Two contrasting personalities
The chisel shattered into pieces of dismay
The tool broke, leading to disappointment
He dropped the stone from the cottage roof
A stone falls from the roof
It hit the ground on a bed of dirt
Lands softly on the soil
Rolled to the grass like a tired old man
The stone's movements compared to that of a person
Turning asleep away from the sun
The stone's position away from sunlight
The distant rumbling of thunder made him stop and think
Thunder prompts contemplation
The rushing of the thunderhead
Thunderhead moving quickly
A storm blown in from heaven
A storm coming from above
And rain like whispers in the nearby forest leaves
Rainfall quietly on foliage
The forest roof and the swaying of its cathedral eaves
The trees' leaves resembling a cathedral
He glanced up at the LIGHTNING ROD
Notices the lightning rod
And rushed toward his ladder
Moves quickly towards his ladder
He fastened the ROD upon the roof
Affixed the rod to the roof
To the dream that promised meaning
Belief in a meaningful dream
Promised purpose to his life, his loneliness and love
The dream provides a purpose
And dancing naked as the rain threw down
Dancing in the rain
Its pitchers in rage upon the ground
The rain falls forcefully
He prayed and wept as the lightning crept
Awe-struck by the lightning
Above the poet and his rite
Above the creative process
And when the day had turned to night
Nightfall after the storm
With the fury of the tempest
Intense stormy conditions
A splitting of the laden sky
Sky's dispersed by the storm
The LIGHTNING ROD exploded
The rod reaches its limit and breaks
With the stone upon the roof
The stone remains on the roof
And left a seed magnificent
Left behind something magnificent
With these words inscribed thereon
Inscribed with words
Contributed by Mia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mansredfire
This is my quintessential Kayo Dot song. It’s an infernal machine.
Johan Sjögren
The first three minutes of this song is Kayo dot injected with a hefty dose of Mars volta, absolutely fantastic.
ᅚ
Perfect
Stentron
Drumming so tasty
zigotina
1:23 this fucking part
littledreamer7887
The drummer fucking rules
Andrew Dunleavy
This is the first song on this album that I haven't struggled with. This is just flat-out excellent. As ridiculous as it is to buy a 100-minute album for a five-and-a-half-minute song, I'm thinking about doing it.
Ethan A
@Systema Sephiroticum THERE IS WATER ENOUGH FOR AAAUUUUGHHLLLL
Systema Sephiroticum
listen to Black Stone on repeat until you love it. :p