Last Dinosaurs Announce Second Transmission 'KYO'

Indie rock trio Last Dinosaurs follow-up their November release, RYU , announcing a second “transmission” titled KYO, arriving April 5th.

Lachlan Caskey takes over as the primary songwriter on the companion EP and today the Dinos release “Keys To Your Civic,” a song that takes a light-hearted jab at commercialism.

On the heels of new song “N.P.D” which dropped last month, “Keys” continues the story of an egocentric main character as embodied by Lach. Fast-paced tempos and otherworldly guitars lure listeners into a sci-fi dystopian dreamworld that unfurls on the track and throughout the rest of KYO.

Lachlan explains: "Keys to your Civic is a romantic song, but also a deep ploy to sell you a Honda product. The narcissist character featured in KYO has actually acted in such a commercial to make you believe that the Civic will give you the keys to an exhilarating new love life.”

Along with crafting the mythos of KYO & RYU , Last Dinosaurs are excited to share an accompanying manga-style comic book created by artist Chris Yee. The comic details the dystopian future storyline, further immersing fans and listeners into their world.

Despite coming up in Australia, indie rock band, Last Dinosaurs would say they're an international enterprise – and they've got a track record to prove it. Brothers Lachlan and Sean Caskey, along with Michael Sloane  have played sold-out headlining shows and festivals across the US, UK, Europe, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and Australia.

The success of studio albums, In a Million Years, Wellness, Yumeno Garden, and From Mexico With Love, have taken them around the world and back, playing notable festivals like Lollapalooza, Corona Capital , All Things Go Festival, and more alongside artists like Florence + the Machine, Bad Suns, Foals, Matt & Kim, Foster the People, and more.

In 2023, the Dinos continued to enthrall audiences with high-energy live performances in bigger and bigger venues. At the same time, they launched a cryptic new story in the seven-song release RYU. Like a transmission from another dimension, Lach, Sean, and Sloane embark on a cosmic adventure through time and space.

“The year is 3023. The artificial intelligence revolution has been fought, won, and lost. The earth is blanketed with debris from previous civilizations' satellites and space junk. The most powerful AI satellite runs critically low in battery, and in its dying months, reprograms its protocols. It now functions as an ancient style radio station, generating music based on algorithms it learnt from the previous civilization. RYU is a collection of transmissions intercepted from this satellite,” explains Sean.

The motorik “Afterlife” takes a grungy wall-of-sound approach while “Walking On Ice” carries an apocalyptic undertone and far-out guitars. “Elton feels like a space-age dancefloor banger while “Yin and Yang” makes a playful allusion to both the band's brotherly songwriting duo.

Now, Last Dinosaurs follow-up RYU with the second transmission, KYO, to conclusion to the post-apocalyptic tale that focuses on the egocentrism and greed that led to humanity's downfall. “N.P.D” highlights the “narcissist to the pathological level,” Lach explains. Elsewhere, “Self-serving Human Being” and “Paranoia Paradise” further explore the dystopian reality.

Together, the transmissions form KYO // RYU . The title pays homage to the brothers' Japanese heritage with their middle names, Kyohei and Ryusuke, with "Kyōryū" (恐竜) also meaning "dinosaur”. This reflects the brothers' duality and sets the stage for the album's essence. While each track and side stands alone, they merge harmoniously to create a cohesive masterpiece.

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