Thom Yorke Supergroup, Atoms For Peace Set Album Release Date

With many still warm in the afterglow of Radiohead’s first Australian visit in 8 years last month (still having withdrawals? Then we recommend this high quality fan-made concert movie), attention can now turn to frontman Thom Yorke’s other new creative endeavour, his new solo-promoting supergroup, Atoms For Peace.

We’ve already had the first taste of the new outfit in the electronic pattering of single ‘Default’, but now the group – originally birthed for live shows to help the Radiohead frontman tour his 2006 solo album The Eraser – have confirmed details of their debut album.

“So finally I can tell you the Atoms For Peace record is coming out on the 22nd Feburary, it’s called Amok,” writes Yorke, revealing full tracklisting for the 9-track album, as well as the apocalyptic artwork from longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood.

“We put something new on the website for you to stare at etc for a while here www.atomsforpeace.info,” writes Yorke, directing to an animated version of the album sleeve; adding that the February release date is “a while to wait I know, so I’m sure some other things will occur before then.”“I’m still reeling from on tour for much of the year but we are planning to get together and play etc next year!”
– Thom Yorke”

With a lineup featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, former REM touring drummer Joey Waronker, percussionist Mauro Refosco from Forro in the Dark and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich – along with Yorke on ‘vocals, keyboards, programming and guitairs’.

The ragtag group of musical stars was initially designed as a temporary unit, but as Yorke puts it, “[we] discovered a really good energy… and it fell into this record.” He also teases the prospect of future touring from the group. “I’m still reeling from on tour (with Radiohead) for much of the year but we (Atoms For Peace) are planning to get together and play etc next year! We’re figuring all that out right now.”

Before adding, “Atoms is a ongoing [sic] and open ended project, where it leads I know not for certain… which is what is nice about it.”

If lead single ‘Default’ (not a Django Django cover) and the obscure 12” vinyl release via Modeselektor last July are anything to go by, Atoms For Peace’s debut album, Amok, seems to be the spiritual successor to Yorke’s The Eraser. An evolution of the musician’s electronic preoccupations but floating in the subspace between live and electronic instrumentation.

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