After teasing the composition in cryptic, threatening flyers and a series of Instagram videos, Radiohead has released a new song, “Burn The Witch.” It did so accompanied by a music video, which seems determined to finish the work Starburns Industries started in adding an adult dimension to stop-motion animation. Here, take a look:
The video combines the animation aesthetic of ‘60s BBC kids’ show Camberwick Green with even more old-fashioned British paganism, with imagery of animal masks, May poles, and an explicit nod to The Wicker Man towards the end. The song itself sees Radiohead in its orchestral mode, with Thom Yorke’s voice wailing about witches over minor-key strings that grow increasingly dissonant as the song goes on. This is Radiohead’s first new song since December, when the band released its (ultimately rejected) submission for the Spectre soundtrack.
Radiohead’s new album is coming…some time. Soon, one assumes.