Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien releases new solo album inspired by Ancient Trails and alternative healing

Brazilian shamanism, psychedelics, breathwork and cold plunging. Ed O’Brien, the British songwriter and guitarist best known for his work with Radiohead, accepts everything as part of his healing journey. “I’m drawn to peripheral phenomena and things that can’t be explained,” he said. outside This is a call from London. “I believe in magic. It’s inherent in making music. Music doesn’t come from studied knowledge. It comes through you.”

Magic and mysticism are key themes on O’Brien’s second solo album. blue morphoFour years in the making, the project is part album and part short film, conceived during a period of personal challenge. O’Brien will also be appearing at Outside Inc.’s annual festival Outside Days on Sunday, May 31, where he will screen a short film and participate in a live fireside chat on the Idea Stage.

blue morpho It’s named after an iridescent blue butterfly that O’Brien encountered while living in Brazil with his family in the early 2010s. Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, O’Brien underwent his own metamorphosis. A kind of creative reinvention that comes from a place of darkness. In April 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic shutdown, O’Brien fell into a deep depression, or what he calls a “dark night of the soul.” He found solace not only in music but also in nature. During that time, O’Brien moved from London to his parents’ home in Wales. He said his daily walks through the ancient Celtic landscape of Wales sparked a deep spiritual awakening in him. “This land is like a cathedral to me,” he says in the 10-minute film, which premieres on YouTube on June 3.

The film is narrated by O’Brien and is set to the film’s soundtrack. blue morpho, We follow the musicians as they wander through the woods, dip their hands in the cold water of a river, admire a lake, and admire the night sky. Most of the footage was shot on or near his home compound. “When you create something emotional or multi-layered, it’s often difficult to explain it with just words,” he said on a conference call. “Images and references can say a thousand things. This film was a way to share how the Welsh landscape played such an important role in shaping the music and me. When you’re somewhere really wild and energetically powerful, it has a huge effect on you.”

The film was shot in winter, giving it a dark mood befitting an album that comes from a dark place. However, the music is never dark. The songs are introspective and soulful, fusing elements of psych-folk, jazz-influenced textures, and ambient sounds. recorded by O’Brien blue morpho Working with producer Paul Epworth, known for his work with Paul McCartney and Adele, he traveled between London and the Welsh countryside, collaborating with musical talents such as flautist Shabaka Hutchings, guitarist Dave Okumu, Radiohead drummer Philip Selway and Estonian composer Tunu Kurwitz. The entire album was recorded at 432 Hz, known as the universal overtone. “When I listen to music, it calms me down, and that’s part of the magic of 432 Hz,” he said. “I feel very fulfilled. I won’t go back to 444.”

Acceptance of alternative therapies

O’Brien has been on a healing journey for over 30 years. “Ironically, I come from a family of osteopaths who love to prescribe medicine,” he said. “They were surprised at the idea of ​​me going to see a therapist in Brazil, because it wasn’t scientific. But I’ve always been interested in how people in other parts of the world approach medicine and treatment.”

O’Brien had been searching for natural remedies for chronic back pain and sinus problems for years, but then he started digging deeper. “I realized that, like an onion, the body has so many layers, and happiness starts in the emotional part,” he said. “I fumbled my way around and started trying Tibetan medicine, acupuncture and mushrooms. It had a deep impact on me.”

While suffering from depression, O’Brien adopted the practices of Wim Hof, a Dutch health guru known for his tolerance for extreme cold. Cold showers are now part of his daily routine. “It’s amazing what the cold does to the vagus nerve,” he said of the nerve that affects the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. Meditation is also part of what he calls his healing “toolkit.”

“I’m a hybrid meditator,” he jokes. “I taught myself 20 years ago, but I’m still going to look for a teacher.” He meditates for 25 minutes every morning and ends his sessions with a feeling of gratitude.

Grow through challenges

O’Brien tried to evoke the emotions and sensations he felt when taking psilocybin. Mr. Blue Morpho Funky song “Teachers”. Every year, he and a few close friends camp for three days in England’s Dartmoor National Park and bring back mushrooms. “It’s become a ritual,” he says. “The great thing about mushrooms is that they allow you to get out of your head and feel the beauty of Mother Earth. It’s plant medicine. At the end of the weekend, you feel connected again.”

O’Brien said the Dark Ages were one of the most important chapters of his life. “I’m so grateful for those dark times,” he said. “Without that, I wouldn’t have moved forward. Only when we suffer and face challenges do we evolve. Evolution doesn’t happen when everything is in balance.”

O’Brien said one of his favorite phrases is “I get this.” On days when I didn’t want to get out of bed, I told myself to put one foot in front of the other. “I really think that in modern society we have to be careful not to make pain so abhorrent,” he says. “People are much more resilient and capable than they realize.”

power to walk

Walks in the countryside with his rescue dog, Ziggy, a Corrie Springer mix, helped O’Brien overcome his depression. “We would get in a beat-up old Land Rover and drive to the foothills of Snowdonia National Park for long, wonderful walks,” he recalled.

“Ziggy and I watched the sun set over the Irish sea, then headed back through the hills. It was the middle of winter, so the sunset was beautiful at this time of year, with the promise of warmer days ahead.”

O’Brien says his walking routine is still a big part of his day. “It helps me recalibrate and reset my connection to my spirituality,” said the guitarist. outside. “It’s incredible to think that people have been walking this path for thousands of years. It’s amazing how they carve through the landscape and follow the rivers and streams.”

Practicing walking helped him reacquaint himself with the rhythm of the seasons. “I love the season,” he said. “It excites me in a special way. I think it’s easy to ignore the seasons when you live in a city. But I think there’s something fundamental about living according to the seasons. They help us get through change. Certain parts of the seasons are etched into my psyche, like lighting a fire or smelling the burning wood during the winter.”

O’Brien is already strategizing how to stay connected to nature as he returns to the stage. He is still thinking about how to give his presentation. blue morpho Live. However, Radiohead embarked on their first tour in seven years at the end of 2025. The band performs from center stage, a unique in-the-round format.

Every year starting in 2027, they will travel to a different continent and perform 20 shows a year. “I try not to be a diva, but I do request a room with a balcony or outdoor space,” he said. “And I seek out parks every chance I get. After dark days, I’ve become increasingly drawn to the beauty that surrounds us in the natural world. It’s become a lifeline.”

Jen Murphy is a regular contributor to Outside. She still has a CD of Radiohead’s hit albums. OK, computer.