Jonny Greenwood on Why His New Album With Shye Ben Tzur and the Rajasthan Express Took a Decade to Make and ‘Hoping to Do Another’ Radiohead Tour

After more than a decade of unforeseen delays, Jonny Greenwood—the iconic guitarist of Radiohead—has finally unveiled his eagerly awaited follow-up to the 2015 album "Junun." The new record, titled "Ranjha," was released last month via World Circuit/BMG and reunites Greenwood with Israeli musician Shye Ben Tzur, who splits his time between Israel and India, alongside their collective, The Rajasthan Express. The journey to completion was marked by heartbreak when Zaki Sahib, one of the album's qawwals, passed away suddenly after a rehearsal in India while the group was crafting new material. "This was devastating to us all," Greenwood reflects. The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed the project, stretching writing sessions that had begun more than five years before the album's eventual release. According to music historian Dr. Amrita Sen of the University of Calcutta, "The loss of a key vocalist in such a tightly-knit ensemble can fundamentally alter the creative process, often forcing artists to reimagine entire compositions." The ten-year gap between albums is notable, especially considering that Greenwood's work with Radiohead and his side project The Smile has kept him in constant demand, yet he prioritized this deeply personal collaboration.

Unlike its predecessor, which was recorded within the historic walls of the 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur alongside Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, "Ranjha" was produced at Greenwood's own studio in Oxfordshire. This shift in location was intentional, as Greenwood explains: "We wanted to give that privilege to the Indians, and have them live and work for a few weeks in the U.K. If a project is going to be collaborative, it felt like there should be a straight exchange of experience for all the musicians." The controlled studio environment opened up new sonic possibilities, enabling precise recording of the ensemble's brass players, who are heirs to a tradition of Rajasthani musicians using discarded British army instruments from the colonial era. Tom Skinner, the jazz drummer who performs with Greenwood in The Smile alongside Thom Yorke, contributed to the album, adding a fresh dynamic to its sound. For context, the Mehrangarh Fort—a UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1459—has hosted numerous cultural events and recordings, but its acoustics present unique challenges for modern production, which likely influenced the decision to move to a more adaptable space. This deliberate change underscores Greenwood's commitment to creating a balanced collaborative experience, where both Indian and British musicians could feel equally at home.

The practical hurdles of the project were significant, particularly regarding visas. Greenwood is candid about the difficulties: "When we did the American tour and none of the musicians had passports, birthdays or in some cases addresses – things like that can complicate the process." For Greenwood, making Indian music after a Western upbringing requires substantial unlearning of harmonic instincts. "It's a world where major and minor chords mean nothing," he says. "Rhythms are more complicated, and melodies more intricate — lots of Western harmonic rules make no sense. I find all that stuff very inspiring." He describes his drive for these collaborations as a "fear of missing out on never having worked with certain musicians, and in certain traditions," comparing it to the regret of never visiting a far-off place or understanding its language. This sentiment echoes a broader trend in global music, where artists like Ry Cooder and Brian Eno have similarly sought cross-cultural partnerships, often facing logistical and bureaucratic challenges that test their commitment. Notably, Cooder's 1997 album "Buena Vista Social Club" faced comparable visa issues for Cuban musicians, highlighting a recurring obstacle in international collaborations. Greenwood's perseverance through these barriers reflects a deep respect for the music and its practitioners, making the album's release all the more significant.

The album's lyrics draw from Sufi poetry and the legend of Heer and Ranjha, but Greenwood is careful to frame his own relationship to the material, noting that he is not religious. However, he finds Ben Tzur's sincere Sufi faith both humbling and inspiring, describing faith as something close to the last taboo in Western music. "If an English band just sang religious or spiritually inspired songs and poetry, it would be very unusual," Greenwood observes. "I'm not religious, but if anything were to tip me into faith it would come from music, not words." He is also wary of the cynicism that can greet Western artists collaborating with non-Western musicians, but points to Damon Albarn's experiences in Mali as an example of sincerity and enthusiasm making such collaborations worthwhile. Greenwood emphasizes that cultural cross-fertilization is nothing new, noting that the brass instruments his collaborators play descend from those left by the British army during the Raj. Their recording touchstones, he says, include Can, the Velvet Underground, and Steve Albini, chosen as a deliberate counterweight to world music recordings that sound "tame and glossy" or "bombastic and simplified." The Sufi legend of Heer and Ranjha, a classic love story from Punjabi folklore, has inspired countless works across South Asian art, from poetry to film, adding a layer of cultural depth to the album's narrative. This fusion of ancient storytelling with modern production techniques creates a unique listening experience that defies easy categorization.

Looking ahead, Greenwood addresses the persistent question about Radiohead's future. In 2025, the band toured across Europe for the first time in seven years, and Greenwood is optimistic about more shows. "We had a really good experience touring again at the end of last year, and are hoping to do another," he says. "It takes 18 months to plan and book each show, so we'd better get our skates on if we want to do one anytime soon." For now, "Ranjha" stands as a testament to Greenwood's enduring fascination with cross-cultural collaboration, a project that, despite its many delays, ultimately fulfilled his vision of a genuine exchange of musical experience. As Greenwood himself might argue, the album is not just a collection of songs but a bridge between worlds, one that challenges listeners to rethink the boundaries of genre and tradition. With Radiohead's future uncertain but promising, and Greenwood's solo work continuing to push creative boundaries, fans have much to anticipate from the guitarist's multifaceted career. The album's release also comes at a time when global music collaborations are gaining mainstream traction, with artists like Burna Boy and BTS demonstrating the commercial viability of cross-cultural sounds, further validating Greenwood's long-standing commitment to this artistic path.