The dark, accidental masterpiece born from analog tape and personal heartbreak
In short: Radiohead's ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool, was a miracle of survival. Recorded in fits and starts amidst personal loss and political tension, the band eschewed digital convenience for the high-stakes pressure of analog tape, creating a haunting, textured landscape of climate change and grief.
Released digitally on 8 May 2016 and in retail on 17 June 2016, A Moon Shaped Pool marked a significant shift for Radiohead. Produced by longtime collaborator Nigel Godrich, the sessions were defined by a commitment to analog multitrack recorders. This choice, inspired by the sounds of Motown and early David Bowie, introduced a punishing creative constraint: rerecording a take meant erasing the previous one, forcing the band to make definitive decisions in the moment.
The recording process was far from seamless. The band worked in Oxfordshire and at La Fabrique, a former 19th-century pigment mill in France. The sessions were interrupted by the commission of the song "Spectre" for a James Bond film—a project the band described as a "massive curveball" that caused a halt in their momentum. Beyond professional hurdles, the album was shaped by profound personal tragedy. Guitarist Ed O'Brien noted the record's "dark" tale, and singer Thom Yorke faced a difficult period following the death of his partner, Rachel Owen, who passed away several months after the album's release.
Musically, the album is a sophisticated blend of art rock, chamber music, and ambient textures. It features prominent string and choir arrangements by Jonny Greenwood, performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. The lyrical content moves from the dangers of groupthink in "Burn the Witch" to reflections on climate change and heartbreak. While some critics viewed the album as a response to Yorke's separation from Owen, the band's work remains a complex tapestry of political urgency and deeply personal vulnerability.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A Moon Shaped Pool
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