Atoms For Peace - Amok

Atoms For Peace - Default

Runs for: 5:15

Really nice groove to this track. Besides that, there's a lot going on beat-wise which makes it an interesting listen.

Atoms For Peace is the product of the collaborative efforts of several heavyweights from the modern alternative rock industry. With members coming from bands with differing styles such as Radiohead, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Beck/R.E.M., an electro act wouldn't necessarily be the first thing that a listener would expect - save for this band being driven by Thom Yorke's apparent desire to release another electro CD. The release of the band's first album 'Amok' presses the question: will each musician accentuate their strengths, or limit themselves for the sake of a less chaotic album?

From the word go, the listener is going to be hit by two things, the synth and the drum beats. The beats are pushing forward this powerful and unique rhythm and the synth work is impressive, with every note creating electronic eargasms due to unknown new sounds and clever volume control being used at every note. The other instruments are dwarfed by this unfortunately.

The guitar parts are very soft and find themselves overwhelmed by the beats and the synth. Honestly, a lot of the song structure would benefit by giving some of the guitar parts more of the limelight. The same goes with the bass – it’s subtle and pleasing to the ear (they have Flea from the chilli peppers on bass for Christ’s sake) but subtle to a point where it nearly goes unnoticed. It’s apparent that what they are trying to do here is create and perfect a certain electro sound. Sure, they do this, and it’s a pretty decent sound, but one that needs to be less drum and synth oriented and let the other instruments do something. On top of all this, Thom Yorke’s voice doesn’t change much, opting to go for an airy howl over the top of the music. There are definitely parts in songs that could have been improved by vocal variation, a deeper voice close to a hum for the bassier moments, but it almost never changes.

There’s definitely something of interest here. The synth parts are really impressive, and the drum beats are active, snappy and drive the songs harder than the other conventional instruments. However I’m going to forever be dreaming about what 'Amok' could have been if it didn't rely so fiercely on drum and synth - and had let the bass, guitar and vocals shine.