lightning isn’t supposed to strike twice, but no one told the smile. with sons of kemet’s tom skinner on drums, radiohead’s thom yorke and jonny greenwood have entered their most inspired creative phase since kid a and amnesiac. after the critical success of wall of eyes, the band’s second release this year, cutouts, reaffirms their status as a force of innovation and intensity. while wall of eyes delved into darker, jazz-influenced sounds, cutouts shifts to a warmer tone, blending synths and orchestration with driving rhythms. together, these albums showcase the smile’s distinctive sound and evolution, proving that they’re much more than a radiohead side project. with wall of eyes and cutouts, the smile claim our double fopp album of the year for 2024.