kazaizen releases new album ‘Sky Fish Fly’

Jonny Kasai doesn’t just blur genres on Sky Fish Fly, he bends them into new shapes entirely. Under the kazaizen moniker, the Saint Paul multi-instrumentalist delivers a 13-track journey that fuses psychedelic rock, soul, and experimental pop into something that feels both retro-rooted and future-facing.

Right from the jump, the album locks into a groove-heavy, mind-expanding vibe. “Nanoo Nanoo” and “Make It Love” ride hypnotic rhythms that feel equally suited to late-night drives or deep headphone sessions. There’s a looseness to the playing, but it’s anchored by a strong sense of feel.

Kasai’s ear for texture is one of the album’s biggest strengths. “What Is” channels vintage soul, but filters it through warped production that gives it a hazy, timeworn glow. On “What’s the Meaning – Self,” shimmering city-pop influences meet off-kilter arrangements, resulting in something both catchy and unpredictable.

The record also isn’t afraid to stretch out. “State of Mind” builds a dense, shoegaze-like atmosphere from layers of sound, while “Somewhere Somethings Waiting” ventures into progressive, jazz-tinged territory. And then there’s “Mr. Musk,” a left-field highlight that mixes humour with cosmic funk in a way that somehow works.

At its core, Sky Fish Fly is about exploration, of sound, of mood, of perspective. It’s an album that doesn’t hand you easy answers, but instead invites you along for the ride. Strange, soulful, and consistently engaging, it marks kazaizen as a project worth keeping an eye, and an ear, on.

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