Jay Watson, one of the most versatile and consistently inventive figures in Australian music, has unveiled his latest single “Expanding Blue” under his solo moniker GUM, marking his first release through King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s label, p(doom).
The new track, self-produced and brimming with Watson’s signature sonic experimentation, arrives as the first taste of new GUM material since his 2023 album Saturnia. It also marks a reunion of sorts between Watson and the Gizzard collective, following his 2024 collaboration album Ill Times with Gizzard’s Ambrose Kenny-Smith.
Speaking about the new single, Watson said, “‘Expanding Blue’ starts out as a jazz-inspired meditation, and turns into something spiritual for me, like a lost gospel soul record or something.” The track layers fluid piano motifs, hazy atmospherics and swirling strings into a transcendent blend that feels at once meditative and euphoric.
Ambrose Kenny-Smith welcomed GUM to the p(doom) roster, saying, “Welcome back to the p(doom) fam my man Gumby! He’s done it again. Another stellar release from Freo’s finest.”
Since launching GUM in 2014 with his debut album Delorean Highway, Jay Watson has forged one of the most distinctive solo identities in the Australian psych-rock scene.
Across six studio albums – Delorean Highway (2014), Glamorous Damage (2015), Flash In The Pan (2018), Out In The World (2020), Inhuman Gesture (2022), and Saturnia (2023) – he’s explored everything from shimmering synth-pop to introspective dream-psych and cosmic funk.
Watson’s solo work is often described as an outlet for ideas that don’t quite fit within his other celebrated projects, Pond and Tame Impala. Yet, GUM has long stood as more than just a side project – it’s the purest reflection of Watson’s creative curiosity.
Hailing from Fremantle, Western Australia, Watson’s fingerprints are on some of the most defining releases in modern Australian psychedelia. As a founding member of Pond and a key collaborator in Tame Impala’s live and studio line-ups, he’s helped shape the evolution of both bands, contributing to seminal works such as Tame Impala’s Lonerism (2012) and Currents (2015), and Pond’s The Weather (2017) and 9 (2021).
Outside of his main projects, GUM has been a frequent touring partner for Mac DeMarco, Mini Mansions, and Angel Olsen, and has performed sold-out solo shows across Australia, Europe, the UK and the United States.
“Expanding Blue” carries the hallmarks of a seasoned artist still in pursuit of new textures and moods. Its jazz-tinged opening evolves into a lush, almost spiritual crescendo – echoing the sonic ambition of Saturnia while signalling a fresh creative direction under the p(doom) banner.
Produced and mixed entirely by Watson, with mastering by Alex DeTurk and strings by Jesse Kotansky, the single is a testament to his do-it-all approach to music-making.
With p(doom) emerging as one of the most forward-thinking independent labels in Australia, GUM’s partnership with the King Gizzard collective feels both inevitable and inspired – two restless creative forces aligning to explore new musical frontiers.
“Expanding Blue” is out now through p(doom) and distributed by Virgin Music.
“Expanding Blue” Credits:
Written by Jay Watson
Produced and Mixed by Jay Watson
Mastered by Alex DeTurk
Strings by Jesse Kotansky
Released by p(doom)
Distributed by Virgin Music
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