Thom Yorke Takes a Trip to Techno: Radiohead Frontman Drops ‘Scary Good’ Electronic Album ‘Tall Tales’
Thom Yorke, the acclaimed voice of Radiohead, has surprised fans with a venture into the electronic music realm. His new album, 'Tall Tales', a collaboration with Mark Pritchard, dropped recently, and it's already being hailed as a "scary good" experimental journey. This isn't just a side project; it's a full-fledged dive into techno, showcasing another facet of Yorke's artistic versatility.
The 12-track album, released on the renowned techno label Warp Records features a diverse sonic landscape. Tracks like 'Back in the Game', 'This Conversation is Missing Your Voice', and the 8-bit flavored 'Gangsters' showcase Pritchard's intricate production and Yorke's signature haunting vocals. According to Rolling Stone, Yorke's voice is "hauntingly opaque and ensnaringly eerie even by his high standards."
This collaboration isn't entirely new. Yorke and Pritchard previously teamed up on a remix of Radiohead's 'Bloom' from 2011 for the 'KOL RMX 1234567' album. However, 'Tall Tales' represents a deeper and more profound exploration of their shared musical vision. The project has been in the works since 2020, allowing ample time for experimentation and refinement.
Critics are praising Pritchard's ability to keep the tracks "uncluttered and varied," providing Yorke's voice with plenty of space to resonate. The album also features intriguing tributes, with nods to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground on specific tracks.
Beyond the music itself, 'Tall Tales' is accompanied by a film directed by visual artist Jonathan Zawada. The film features chaotic and varied music videos for each track, contributing to the album's overall sense of disorientation and complexity. Zawada notes that the music's sonic diversity influenced his approach, preventing him from settling on a singular aesthetic style.
Intriguingly, Zawada’s visuals have even sparked debate about the use of AI in art creation. Zawada explains that despite the visuals are an exploration of artificality, and the heavy use of CGI, no AI was used in the the making of the visuals.
“Pritchard tells me about all this grief that it gets from people assuming it’s made with AI, and then bitching about it and complaining that it’s made with AI, even though none of these videos have been made with AI,” Zawada says
This release fuels rumors of a possible Radiohead reunion tour, as the band established a limited liability partnership similar to those they've created before announcing new tour dates or music releases. In the mean time, Yorke also remains active in another side project with Jonny Greenwood called The Smile.
Radiohead, a Grammy-winning rock band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 and known for hits like 'Creep', 'Karma Police', and 'Paranoid Android', last toured in 2018 further driving fan excitement for a potential return to the stage alongside the release of Yorke’s experimental electronic album.
'Tall Tales' presents a fascinating glimpse into Thom Yorke's continued artistic exploration. Does this foray into electronic music hint at future directions for Radiohead, or is it purely a solo adventure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
