King Gizzard Drummer CAVS Announces Second Solo LP Sojourn, Shares Candiru

Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh, best known as the drummer for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, announced his second solo album Sojourn and released its lead single “Candiru” with a video directed by Hayden Somerville. The album is set for release April 24, 2026 on p(doom) records and is described as composed of 10 instrumental tracks that present a wordless narrative shaped by Cavanagh’s interest in spiritual jazz, progressive rock, and Krautrock.

Co‑producer Jim Rindfleish sketches the record’s origin and visual imagination in a statement about the sessions: “Sojourn began as a sample-based beat tape that Cavs had been chipping away at between Gizz commitments. Even in its demo form, the material had a distinctly visual quality. We kept returning to the image of waking up on an uncharted island, covered in dense jungles, waterfalls, and glittering caves. As that vision developed, the material began to resemble the forms of various mystical and undiscovered fauna and flora. Having already conquered a solo ‘drum’ album, the next logical step for Cavs (in my mind) was to step up as a band leader and sole songwriter. After deciding to record it all with real instruments and players, we began to tap into an aspect of Cavs’ musicality that has perhaps yet to fully surface as”

Rindfleish framed the leap from beat tape to full band succinctly: “the next logical step for Cavs (in my mind) was to step up as a band leader and sole songwriter,” and added, “After deciding to record it all with real instruments and players, we began to tap into an aspect of Cavs’ musicality that has perhaps yet to fully surface as the drummer for Gizz. As drummers, we understood each other completely, hearing music in a very similar way. We wanted this record to feel like a journey through Cavs’ rhythmic imagination.”

Beyond Cavanagh’s arrangements, Sojourn’s recording credits include contributions from Joey Walker, Adam Halliwell on flute and guitar, Siwei Wong on harp, Archibald Pommelhorse on saxophone, Selene Messinis on keyboards, and Robbin Poppins on percussion. Spins notes point listeners toward rhythmic templates and lineage, saying listeners will hear nods to legends such as Billy Cobham, Harvey Mason, Tony Williams and Tony Allen alongside detours into spiritual jazz, progressive rock and Krautrock.

Cavanagh’s path to this point is detailed in his biographical record: born July 5, 1990, he grew up in Deniliquin, New South Wales, and has been active since 2005. Early work with The Houses — the group formed in 2005 that by 2010 included Lucas Skinner, Blaise Adamson and Stu Mackenzie — preceded his tenure with King Gizzard. Biographical accounts differ on whether he joined King Gizzard at the group’s formation in 2010 or later via an audition, but his role across King Gizzard’s prolific output is clear: he has been credited on over 25 studio albums including Nonagon Infinity, Polygondwanaland and Infest the Rats’ Nest, and after Eric Moore stepped away on August 25, 2020 Cavanagh remained the band’s only drummer. He released his solo debut, CAVS, in 2021, a project described as largely drum‑based.

The Candiru video and the album announcement come as Cavanagh plans to perform Sojourn live with some of the album’s musicians later in 2026, and as King Gizzard’s only scheduled 2026 shows are listed for Field of Vision festival Aug. 14–16 in Colorado and Aug. 20–22 in Forest Hills, New York. Sojourn arrives April 24, 2026 on p(doom) records, a project that moves Cavanagh from drum anchor toward composer and bandleader.