Atoms For Peace – 'Amok' album review

Atoms For Peace – 'Amok'

• Rated as: 3/5

Thom Yorke’s voice may be one of the seven wonders of the rock ’n’ roll world, but that hasn’t stopped him trying to disembody it in increasingly ‘avant’ electronica. ‘He’s like, “I really want to make a dance record”,’ jokes producer Nigel Godrich, ‘“but I have to sing on it or nobody’s going to fucking care”.’

This casual band collaboration involving Godrich and Chili Peppers bassist Flea may be time out from Radiohead, but that doesn't mean time out from abstract lyrical angst, apocalyptic Stanley Donwood artwork or his love affair with things that go ‘bleep’ in the night. Singles ‘Default’ and ‘Judge Jury and Executioner’ marry the jam session and the sampler with a chewy melodic propulsion that reminds you where TV On The Radio got their blueprint. But beneath the impressive itch-glitch soundscaping, ‘Amok’ takes things no further than any classic Warp release. Except, of course, for that voice.