Alongside Thom, the band consists of Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Beck/R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker, and percussionist Mauro Refosco (yeah, I don't know him either, but I'm sure he's a swell guy). Like Yorke's other solo work, Amok is digital quicksand, sucking you in with its jerky, sometimes spastic mixes. But they're not restless; like all Yorke/Godrich productions, these electronic experiments seem to know what they're doing and where they're going. As per usual, Yorke's ethereal voice navigates the wiry sea with intuition and grace.
Much of what we love about Yorke's non-Radiohead work is that it illustrates in gorgeously unexpected ways how thin the line between man and machine is. At certain points during Amok I find myself wondering "why does he even need a band?" and then I hear some funky bass that is unmistakably Flea, and I am reminded. Actually, thanks again to Flea's backbone of a bass line, "Stuck Together Pieces" is quite groovy.
Atoms for Peace reminds us that we're all pretty much cyborgs now, and clearly, there ain't no shame.
Amok is streaming live until the official release February 25 (or 26, no one can seem to decide). Dig it!
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