It seems like Thom Yorke has made it his goal as an artist and musician to be as left-field as possible. After the international super-hit that was OK Computer, Radiohead made Kid A - a complete diversion from the style of its predecessor, which I maintain is Radiohead’s best release to date. I have always respected Thom Yorke as an artist, but Radiohead has been getting stale and repetitive of recent years, so it’s heartening to see him move on to other projects. I haven’t even listened to The King Of Limbs, because In Rainbows was disappointingly repetitive and mediocre that I had lost faith in Radiohead by that point. His 2006 solo album, The Eraser, was the best thing Yorke had produced in years at the time, and I would argue it still is. Now, Yorke has formed a new supergroup, Atoms for Peace - with members from R.E.M., Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Beck, among others - and released a new album, Amok.
Despite being released in February, I wanted to review Amok for a couple of reasons. The first is that I was interested in what Yorke has been up to of late, and after hearing a few tracks on this album I was intrigued. Secondly, I have a long list of films lined up to review over the next month or two, so it seemed like a good idea to mix this page up a bit for the time being with a music review.
You would be forgiven for thinking Amok is another Thom Yorke solo album, for two reasons: one, much of it is reminiscent of The Eraser, and two, most of the album is synthesised, so it’s difficult to hear where the rest of the band comes in. Amok is one of those weird, left-field art-rock albums which will probably be dismissed as pretentious art-wank garbage by some. This, to me, is a point that reeks of criticising an album for being too sophisticated, which seems to be missing the point a bit. I feel music should be encouraged to advance in complexity, and Amok certainly does that; the complex layering, polyrhythmic composition, subversion and dissonance are all quite impressively executed.
Among Amok‘s biggest strengths is atmosphere. The subtle use of dissonance, reverberation and ethereal keyboards creates a chilling atmosphere, only enhanced by Yorke’s angelic falsetto vocals and possibly the thinnest sounding drum synth I’ve ever heard. The album sounds incredibly thin overall, due to the aforementioned drums and a focus on high, sharp trebles, the result being some very tense and chilling music. Which I like - I like how the album aims for slightly dissonant sounds, because it makes it more engaging to listen to. Music which occasionally sounds mildly unpleasant engages the listener in a very compelling way, by prompting us to invest some emotional energy into the music, but keeping it subtle enough so it doesn’t sound fingernails-on-chalkboard horrible. That’s something that Amok pulls off really nicely. Some of the guitar notes are sharp and intense, some of the intervals clash a bit, but overall not too much, so it strikes a nice balance which makes the music interesting.
Amok also utilises an interesting technique of random percussive sounds thrown into the mix, at times giving the album a slightly chaotic feel. Not chaotic like Rage Against The Machine, but chaotic in the sense of unpredictable. It’s in time with the music enough that it doesn’t feel out of place, but it’s syncopated and random enough to be noticeable and commendable. It’s a very neat touch which adds a lot to the music. This particular percussive layer is incredibly quiet at times, so one needs to listen hard for it, but it’s there. And this brings me to another point - subtlety.
The dynamic shifts and changes in Amok are incredibly subtle. Each song undergoes small, subtle changes and gradual evolution until it emerges at the end slightly different. This technique of evolutionary songwriting I’ve been very fond of over the years, rather than the typical trend of relying on switching between structural segments (i.e. verse, chorus, repeat etc.). While many songs are not particularly exciting at first listen, it takes paying close attention to hear the nuances and subtle changes, and the payoff is worth it. Some of the more discreet layers can add a lot to a song when they are noticed. Amok is an exercise in brilliant and innovative songwriting, and refreshing to listen to after some of the heavier and less subtle music I’ve been listening to of late.
Having said that, the album does tend to drone a fair bit, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but unless you’re listening closely, it’s difficult to discern when one song finishes and the next begins. As a result, Amok does start to sound repetitive around halfway through. The songs themselves are not inherently repetitive, however they do sound similar to each other, and as you listen to Amok the whole way through, the individual songs blur together somewhat. But again, listen closely and you will notice the subtle differences which can change your experience of the songs. Additionally, on an unrelated note, at times the synthesisers sound like 1980s 8-bit video game music, which doesn’t do the music any favours. This particular sound really takes you out of the experience and damages the atmosphere, but it’s only heard prominently on two songs - Unless, and the title track - and is abandoned after a short while, so it’s a forgivable sin.
Thom Yorke’s voice has been known to annoy me in the past at times. Sometimes his high-pitched wailing can get irritating; however, on Amok it fits the overall tone and atmosphere quite nicely. It suits the bleak and cold feeling conveyed in this album, and coupled with the reverberation and sustained notes creates a sense of aloneness inherent in the music. I like music which can profoundly convey a strong, consistent feeling, which is something Amok does really well. As I mentioned before, the individual songs can appear to merge with each other if one is not paying attention, but this contributes to the overarching droning sound, making Amok an experience to listen to from start to finish. I would list notable tracks in this regard, however that would involve naming every song on the album. It’s difficult to cite examples, because almost everything I’ve said in this review can be applied equally to all songs on the album, give or take. The atmosphere is absorbing and carries you the whole way through, and the skillful employment of dissonance in melodies and basslines enhances the immersion. It reminds me of Kid A while employing techniques from The Eraser, in a good way, while sounding much thinner overall.
Simply put, Amok is a very good album, and definitely worth acquiring. It’s a very quiet album, as well as relatively short at 45 minutes long, and it may take some getting used to, but it is worth it in the end. It can be distracting while driving, but otherwise I love it - it’s a great example of innovative and talented songwriting. Amok earns a high recommendation from me.
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