Radiohead accomplishes something outstandingly unique on this record, in that they convey a
powerful overarching theme of “grayness” and desolation through sonic ambience. Glittery and
wet piano notes drift across the soundscape, accompanied by distant and soft instrumental
feedback. The audible velvet gently tapping on the piano keys to invoke melodies and chords invites the listener to a
private concert; simply between them and Radiohead, in a clouded hall, surrounded by a
tangible aura of grief.
Listening (*with headphones) to tracks like Daydreaming and Identikit, all the aural details emerge.
It’s not the patterned piano, synths, and percussion lines that define the album, but rather how
they’re coated in dreamy and detached artifacts that create the audiovisual landscape.
This record boasts organic composition and a deeply vulnerable soul; it’s consistent in its theme
and persistent in the heart. It’s a different [art] rock record. It’s intentional in its barren and
reductive thought, and all for the better.
[August 2023]