‘The National Anthem’ is one song that proves that Radiohead can, even among a dystopian collection of electronic drenched tracks, get funky. And it’s still chillingly alienated funk. The song’s opening bassline is one of the most recognizable intros of any song from the band and even more so its disruptive addition of a brass section.

Continuing with the trend, Thom Yorke’s voice is now processed to sound echoic, emphatizing his high notes, giving the sensation he’s far away from us. Lyrically ‘The National Anthem’ is scattershot and simple, Yorke rambles on with separate phrases like: “Everyone around here, everyone is so near/It’s holding on”. He sings a little more than that while his voice seem to loom over the looping bassline and the jazzy drumming.

Speaking of jazzy, when the brass section freak-out enters is utterly unexpected. A manic and thrilling succession of notes that forcefully pierces its way through the song. Meanwhile, the rhythm section builds up, like trying to maintain a lifeline to the chaos that’s burning at the front. Yorke, however, howls ‘It’s holding on!’ like trying to be part of that chaos. A free jazz jam for the 21st century, ‘The National Anthem’ is firm evidence of what all the Kid A experimentation was really about. And, this is pretty much obvious, but Radiohead haven’t made something quite like it again.