Radiohead’s Mysterious ‘Burn The Witch’ Release Is Like ‘Noddy’ With Lots Of Murder

After ceremonially torching their internet presence earlier this week and sending fans terrifying flyers which read “BURN THE WITCH” and “we know where you live”, Radiohead have dropped their new song. As was rumoured — the track has been teased for more than a decade — its name is ‘Burn The Witch’, it’s a tense and exciting work relying on orchestral backing, and it signals big things for an impending album.

As was not rumoured, the accompanying stop-motion video clip looks like a happy cross between Noddy and Postman Pat, with about 500 percent more murder.

While the clip obviously takes its cues from ’70s cult horror The Wicker Man, its animation has been a big talking point in the UK overnight as many note its similarities to the seminal ’60s style of Bob Bura and John Hardwick (Trumpton, Chigley, Camberwick Green). In an attempt to decode the politics of the clip, Pitchfork have suggested the town is in fact an allegory for right-wing mythical family values and the violence committed therein. (Yes “Trumpton” is pretty damn close to “Trump”).

“Radiohead use pastoral English imagery to confront a global phenomenon, and inject their characteristically iconoclastic voice in the U.S. presidential election season (something they’ve done before),” Pitchfork’s Marc Hogan writes. “‘We know where you live,’ Yorke sings. For all of Trump’s protestations about size, he speaks from a small place — one that doesn’t exist, and never really did, but is dreadfully hard to escape.”

So, you know, this new album should be interesting.