Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke released a new single Wednesday night from his forthcoming soundtrack, Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film), which features 25 original compositions. The atmospheric track, Volk, was accompanied by a vivid and enigmatic music video, animated by U.K.-based director Ruffmercy.
The upcoming remake of the Dario Argento-directed horror film, Suspiria (1977), is set for a Nov. 2 release in Canada. This modern version was directed by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name). He personally enlisted Yorke to compose the film’s score.
WATCH BELOW: Thom Yorke’s Volk complemented by an unsettling video by Ruffmercy
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This is the third single to drop before the album’s release, which will coincide with the movie’s American premiere. Yorke’s previous singles, Suspirium and Has Ended, have been met with a fantastic reception. Fans were ecstatic to hear something completely different from the Radiohead frontman.
This is Yorke’s first-ever soundtrack, something he was reluctant about for months. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, he admitted he had big shoes to fill when referencing the original film’s score, which was composed by Italian band Goblin.
“It was one of those moments in your life where you want to run away, but you know you’ll regret it if you do. I watched the original film several times, and I loved it because it was of that time, an incredibly intense soundtrack. Obviously Goblin and Dario worked incredibly closely when they did it together.
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In a radio interview with BBC Radio 6, Yorke said that Vangelis’ original score for Blade Runner (1982) was a big inspiration for his composition.
“Vangelis… it’s his hands that made that. Which encouraged me. Because that was the thing I was finding most daunting. Normally, a horror movie involves orchestras, these specific things. But Luca and Walter, the editor, were very much, like, ‘find your own path with it.'”
He revealed that it was a kind of freedom that he wasn’t used to. He appreciated that he had full creative freedom and there was room to explore.
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It seems Yorke’s hard work has paid off. Fans have expressed their excitement and how odd the new music has made them feel. While that may sound like a criticism, it’s exactly what he was going for.
“Yorke’s latest tune isn’t for the types who jump at noises in the night,” one user wrote on Twitter. Others on social media agreed that Volk had a very creepy vibe.
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Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film) will be released on Oct. 26 by XL Records — the same label Radiohead has been with since its critically acclaimed 2007 album, In Rainbows. You can pre-order the album here.
Thom Yorke will embark on an American solo tour this winter. As of this writing, there are no Canadian dates, nor any upcoming plans to return with Radiohead.
adam.wallis@globalnews.ca