High Anxiety (Thom Sonny Green album)

High Anxiety is the debut solo album by British musician Thom Sonny Green. It was composed and recorded by Green from 2014 to 2016, while he was touring with alt-J, and was released on 19 August 2016 by Infectious and Sudden Records. The album received mixed reviews by critics.

High Anxiety
Studio album by Thom Sonny Green
Released	19 August 2016
Recorded	2014–2016
Genre	Electronica ambient experimental
Length	1:10:00
Label	Sudden Records Infectious[1]

Background and recording

Green started producing in 2012, using his laptop.[2] He composed and recorded the album over the course of two years while touring with alt-J,[3] in hotel rooms.[4] In the process, he used Ableton Live[2] and a short music gear, including Bass Station II and OP-1 synthesisers, a H2n recorder, and a Game Boy.[5]

Music

High Anxiety is an electronica,[6] ambient[7] and experimental[8] album. Green cited Clams Casino, Arca, Deftones and Radiohead as influences on the record.[3] The title of the album refers to Green's "general anxiety".[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	5.8/10[10]
Metacritic	57/100[11]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Paste	7.7/10[6]
The Observer	[1]
NME	[7]
PopMatters	[12]

High Anxiety received mixed reviews by music critics, many of whom found the album overlong.[1][12] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 57, based on 7 reviews.[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Thom Sonny Green.

Digital download[13] and CD[14]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Vienna"	3:12
2.	"40 Beers"	1:04
3.	"Market"	2:44
4.	"System"	4:08
5.	"Blew"	4:09
6.	"Arizona"	2:03
7.	"Oslo"	3:37
8.	"Ping"	2:38
9.	"Cologne"	2:23
10.	"Houston"	3:29
11.	"Oakland"	2:31
12.	"VVVV"	2:38
13.	"Phoenix"	3:08
14.	"Large"	4:39
15.	"Palms"	3:21
16.	"Beach"	2:41
17.	"Grounds"	2:43
18.	"Preach"	3:55
19.	"Christ"	4:16
20.	"Meh"	5:34
21.	"Neon Blue"	3:45
Total length:		1:10:00

References

1. "Thom Sonny Green: High Anxiety review – Alt-J's unexpected talent". The Observer. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
2. Wasserman, Milo (8 August 2016). "In Conversation: Thom Sonny Green". Clash. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
3. "Hear 'Preach', the latest song from Alt-J drummer Thom Sonny Green's debut solo LP". Fact. 30 July 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
4. "Alt-J to drop new album 'Relaxer'". Malay Mail Online. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017. Since their two albums, drummer Thom Sonny Green released a debut solo effort, High Anxiety, made over the years of touring and recorded in hotel rooms.
5. "The music gear that made Thom Sonny Green's album 'High Anxiety'". 23 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
6. Thuyein, Mady (20 September 2016). "Thom Sonny Green: High Anxiety Review". Paste. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
7. Cochrane, Greg (20 September 2016). "Thom Sonny Green – 'High Anxiety' Album Review". NME. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
8. Bein, Kat. "alt-J's Thom Sonny Green Made an Experimental Electronic LP and Visualizer: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
9. Thomas, Helen (9 August 2016). "'I Tap Into The Darker Side': Alt-J's Thom Sonny Green Talks Solo Album 'High Anxiety'". NME. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
10. "High Anxiety by Thom Sonny Green Reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
11. "Reviews and Tracks for High Anxiety by Thom Sonny Green". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
12. DeLeonardis, John (1 December 2016). "Thom Sonny Green - High Anxiety". PopMatters. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
13. "High Anxiety by Thom Sonny Green". iTunes. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
14. "Amazon.com: High Anxiety: Thom Sonny Green". Amazon. Retrieved 13 August 2017.