Released 10 years ago
A Moon Shaped Pool
Radiohead · 2016
52 min · 11 tracks · alternative rock
Ethereal soundscapes intertwine with melancholic melodies, creating an immersive experience that explores themes of love and loss.
Top tracks — play these first
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Burn the Witch Start here — Opening with unsettling strings and a sense of urgency, this track encapsulates the album's themes of paranoia and societal critique, setting a dark tone.
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Daydreaming — This track features a poignant piano melody layered with haunting vocals, embodying the emotional core of the album as it reflects on longing and introspection.
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Identikit — With its complex rhythms and shifting dynamics, this song explores themes of identity and fragmentation, showcasing Radiohead's continued musical innovation.
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True Love Waits — Originally written in the late '90s, this track’s contemplative lyrics and minimalist arrangement highlight vulnerability and yearning, culminating in a moving conclusion to the album.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's intricate arrangements and emotional depth create a compelling listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a tense orchestral arrangement in 'Burn the Witch', setting a dark tone that persists throughout.
- Tracks often feature layered instrumentation, with strings and electronic elements blending to create a dense soundscape.
- Several songs, like 'Daydreaming' and 'Glass Eyes', utilize extended instrumental passages that allow for atmospheric exploration rather than traditional song structures.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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9/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- haunting orchestral textures
- introspective journey through sound
- patient unfolding of emotions
- late-night solitude and reflection
- immersive headphone listening experience
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat party vibes
- prefer instant gratification tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — Represents a high point in artistic ambition and orchestration for the band.
- Themes
- societal anxieties· personal identity crisis
- Career context
- Released in 2016, A Moon Shaped Pool is Radiohead's ninth studio album, following their acclaimed record, The King of Limbs. At this point in their career, the band was exploring a more orchestral and introspective sound, reflecting a mature evolution after decades of genre-defying experimentation since their debut in 1993.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sigur Rós· Interpol· The National
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Burn the Witch Start here 3:40
- 2 Daydreaming 6:24
- 3 Decks Dark 4:41
- 4 Desert Island Disk 3:44
- 5 Ful Stop 6:07
Disc 2
- 1 Glass Eyes 2:52
- 2 Identikit 4:26
- 3 The Numbers 5:45
- 4 Present Tense 5:06
- 5 Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief 5:03
- 6 True Love Waits 4:43
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
22, A Million
Bon Iver
Shares a similar atmospheric blend of digital manipulation and introspective lyricism.
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Sigur Rós
Explores haunting orchestral textures with ethereal vocals in a deeply emotional soundscape.
The Colour in Anything
James Blake
Combines electronic elements with introspective lyrics and lush production reminiscent of Radiohead's style.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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