MiniDiscs (Hacked)
Radiohead · 2019
978 min · 18 tracks · alternative rock
Finished songs emerge from a haze of acoustic sketches and studio experiments before slipping back into the archive.
Top tracks — play these first
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MD111 Start here — This opening disc sets the archival terms: ideas and performances sit alongside one another without the sequencing or polish of a conventional album.
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MD114 — Its nearly hour-long span invites listening for the contrast between recognizable songwriting and the looser material surrounding it.
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MD122 — One of the longest discs, it gives the sessions room to unfold at their own pace rather than compressing them into a tidy retrospective.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's experimental nature and fragmented structure offer an intriguing but uneven listening experience.
What we noticed
- Several pieces feature overlapping layers of instrumentation and vocal snippets, creating a collage-like effect rather than traditional song structures.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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5/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. 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
- fragmented ideas for curious minds
- long-form exploration of soundscapes
- immersive headphone listening experience
- patient unfolding of sonic textures
- experimental vibe for open ears
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of instant gratification
- prefer concise, catchy tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Showcases a departure from their established sound with lo-fi recordings and demos.
- Themes
- experimental soundscapes· unreleased demos· avant-garde improvisation
- Career context
- Released in 2019, MiniDiscs (Hacked) looks back to the sessions surrounding Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer. It arrived two years after OKNOTOK, the 20th-anniversary reissue that had already brought several songs from that era into official circulation.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sigur Rós· Interpol· The National
Tracklist
- 1 MD111 Start here 1:10:47
- 2 MD112 1:01:27
- 3 MD113 1:05:08
- 4 MD114 57:21
- 5 MD115 57:04
- 6 MD116 25:57
- 7 MD117 55:28
- 8 MD118 57:03
- 9 MD119 53:37
- 10 MD120 58:17
- 11 MD121 1:00:21
- 12 MD122 1:13:13
- 13 MD123 17:52
- 14 MD124 1:12:22
- 15 MD125 56:10
- 16 MD126 1:08:04
- 17 MD127 26:49
- 18 MD128 41:52
What to play next
Kid A Mnesia
2021
Continues the experimental sound with new interpretations and unreleased tracks.
A Moon Shaped Pool
2016
Precedes MiniDiscs (Hacked) with a similar intimate and experimental feel.
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Odelay
Beck
Explores fragmented sound collages and genre-blurring experimentation similar to Radiohead's avant-garde approach.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
Features abstract soundscapes and improvisational elements that echo Radiohead's experimental spirit.
The Age of Adz
Sufjan Stevens
Combines electronic textures and unconventional song structures, aligning with the themes of exploration found in Radiohead.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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