In Rainbows

GK's first impressions

“15 Step”: Space-rock meets hip-hop, with otherworldly synths floating over crunchy, syncopated electro-beats. Thom Yorke’s voice curls languidly around a jazzy guitar figure.

“Bodysnatchers”: Radiohead reminds us that they still know how to rock. A distorted guitar paves the way for a trance-inducing groove, perfect for riding metro trains at night. Then more guitars scream and swoop through the mix as Yorke becomes progressively more agitated, yelping about being trapped in the 21st Century.

“Nude”: A gorgeous ballad that nonetheless has a nasty undertow, and Yorke floats away with it.

“Weird Fishes”: Undulating guitars and skittering beats, with voices layered into a haunted choir, eventually overwhelmed by keyboards.

“All I Need”: Slow and swollen with foreboding.

“Faust Arp”: Woozy strings swoop through what is essentially a voice-and-guitar folk song.

“Reckoner”: Percussion knick-knacks create a loose groove and a sense of space around a wan vocal melody that is further enhanced by counterpoint guitar and strings. Lovely, yet chilling.

“House of Cards”: Pensive guitar and a patient vocal, with Yorke adrift. “Infrastructure will collapse,” he murmurs, as the strings shiver.

“Jigsaw Falling into Place”: Guitar and drums conspire to create a scrappy groove, but as usual there’s more to it. The wordless backing vocals surge with menace, and Yorke’s lead vocal ratchets up the intensity.

“Videotape”: A stately voice-and-piano meditation tarted up with disorienting percussion.

In Rainbows