As Sasha Frere-Jones notes in the New Yorker this week, Thom Yorke has successfully made the transition from anxious post-modern worrier to groovy dance freak. With the release of side band Atoms For Peace's debut album, the twitchy and seductive Amok, the band has released a music video for sexy album track "Ingenue." Yorke is in full-ponytail mode for the elusive dance, pairing off with contemporary dancer Fukiko Takase for a strange, utterly compelling performance that is a worthy followup to his much emulated "Lotus Flower" dance.
The video was directed and choreographed by Garth Jennings and Wayne McGregor, the same team behind "Lotus Flower." There are a few classic Yorke moves involved—arms outstretched opening the curtains, twitchy hands freak-out, suit over the head—and a few very welcome new ones—pointing in unison, contemporary karate chopping, and floor writhing, to name but three.
For anyone who is not familiar with Atoms for Peace, the band was formed in 2010 as a chance for Yorke to perform his solo album The Eraser live for the first time—we were won over by them during a full-bodied, percussion-heavy set at Roseland Ballroom. Right now, the band only has a few DJ sets lined up, but Yorke has hinted that a full band tour may be coming later this year.
