Kid A &
Ghost in the Shell

A Millenial Sychonicity

When Radiohead's Kid A was released, my friends and I were already huge Radiohead fans, and it was a quick little contemporary masterpiece of an album we embraced. This same group of friends had a habit of watching favorite movies "synced" to favorite albums, pairing things by shared mood or motifs. One day Kid A and Ghost in the Shell got played together. It was the most synchonous pairing we ever did. 15 years later I created this website to highlight the uniquely beutiful interplay between this seminal album and (the first part of) this influential landmark of a movie. This interplay takes the form of shared themes, lyrical symbolism, timbre matching visual tone, and even some closely matched scene transitions and synced cuts. The fact that the title song and movie title card come together exactly is certainly quite a coincidence.

It is not this site's argument that Radiohead intentionally set out to make, or even mix, their album to Ghost in the Shell. Rather, the goal is to highlight the many ways in which these two philosophical, millenial, near-future-looking, spacey, epics pair well together, and the beutiful and thought provoking coinencidences that occur when you consider them together. Cheesemakers and winemakers don't have to work together for some of their produce to occasionally pair exceptionally well together.

What follows is an inventory of synchronous moments for your consideration.

00:43
Animation transitions from CG to full color, as the first unscrambled full volume vocals come in.
02:30
The police raid begins as siren like background vocals are added, and the song intensifies.
03:50
The Major fades out just as the song fades out.
04:11
Album's title song begins as movie's title card resolves into full focus.
05:52
The lyric "We've got heads on sticks" is heard, as the head of a cyborg is constructed on screen.
7:20
During the time the major is waking up and getting ready, the music switches to a quiet interlude, distinct from the rest of the song, as this segment is distinct from the rest of the credits.
08:45
The national security conversation in the elevator begins just as the song "The National Anthem" begins in earnest.
10:00
Treated vocals begin with the re-introduction of the CGI, and scene trasition to the examination of the hacked woman.
11:13
The first horn breakdown begins as the scene shifts to a highway, busy with traffic. The lyric "everyone is so near and so alone" could apply to people travelling together on a freeway.
14:32
The near collision between the puppet garbage man and Section 9 occurs as the previous song abruptly ends. The garbage truck driver screams as a treated sample of someone yelling is heard and a sound like a brake or engine whirring down bridges to the next, quieter song.
15:42
The Major jacks into the net just as the vocals begin, with the lyrics "That there, that's not me". This is followed by the lyric "I go where I please" as the Major takes control of the vehicle from Togusa and cuts across traffic to the exit.
19:00
"I'm not here" is heard for the first time as the puppet terrorist camaflouges his way by Batou. The song is called "How to Disapear Completely". What more do I need to say?
19:40
The transition to a section of non-verbal vocals and strings begins as the action shifts to the market.
20:11
Vocals and stings converge in a single crescendo as Batou is put in center focus, slowly pushed into, and then turns to see the target behind him.
24:00
This iconic chase and fight scene, between the invisible Major and the puppet, plays out over the course of the sonic collage song "Treefingers". In a way, the slow pacing matches the very deliberate, interrupted, pacing of the scene.
24:12
The next song, "Optimisitc" begins as the Section 9 raid begins.
27:00
A non-verbal bridge begins as the puppeted garbage man realizes his memories are false.
27:42
An effect is added to the vocals as water covers the Major, beginning the transiton to the diving scene.
28:32
The song builds as the major floats to the surface, with the second, longer, non-verbal vocal bridge beginning as major breaches the surface of the water.
29:35
This short prono jazz interlude plays as Batou and Major have an intimate moment together on the boat.
29:52
Day turns to night as the song "In Limbo" begins.
31:15
The lyric "you're living in a fantasy" is heard as the Major and Batou, two cyborgs, discuss whether their expereince of reality is really real."
32:26
The vocal becomes more digitally distorted as the Puppet Master's voice is heard through the Major.
33:12
The song "Ideoteque" begins as the Major's fantasia begins.
35:45
This section of the movie is an extended meditation on the Major's identity as a cyborg in the city. It also shows a future of a flooded, dirty, technologically advanced city of the near future. This parrallels the thematic concerns of the song closely.
36:31
The vocals drop out as it is clear we are out of the Major's vision and back to the narrative.
37:05
A rattle noise is prominent as we see from the Puppet Master's point of view, as he focuses in on the Major. Followed by an organ and vocals section as the Puppet Master reactivates the body.
40:40
The first swelling of the guitar sound as the Major commits to dive into the Puppet Master.
43:04
The song "Motion Picture Soundtrack" begins as the elevator scene ends.
44:47
The lyric "I will see you in the next life" is sung as the presumed "dead" remnants of the Puppet Master are lowered into focus.
45:40
There is a harp solo moment as the agent with magic fast typing fingers plays the keys.
47:19
The outro begins as Puppet Master wakes up and begins to focus on those around them.
48:11
The outro ends as the Puppet Master comes to back life and begins his monologue.
49:56
The outro ends just as the Puppet Master's monologue comes to an end, and his body stolen beginning the final act action sequences.