The Smile (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Tom Skinner)

Giving most generously with not one but two new albums in just ten months, both these volumes further their effortless, slinky-jazz musings as a now clearly defined vehicle in its own right.

This twin-set of work sees the trio foray into a concoction of math-rock, Afrobeat and a mix of post-punk elements. Never frenetic, but tempered, focused and deliberate.

Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner layers his percussive magic with acute, sharp strikes; working brilliantly as a foil to Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s unique conjuring of very particular and mixed time signatures, whilst Yorke continues to increase and weave his subtle self-harmonising vocals, culminating in a freer feel to his often angst-laden delivery.

‘WoE’ shifts from a bossa nova-like feel on the title track to something akin to latter-day Beatles rendering a waltz on ‘Friend Of A Friend’. ‘Cutouts’ loosens up further still, initially sounding closer to Yorke’s solo works, before leaning into the funk flavoured ‘Zero Sum’. An uninhibited freedom as much as anything recorded by this trio thus far.

Both of these offerings feel intensely colourful and assured, a rainbow of audio texturing. A dynamic and complementary brace of indelible releases which will leave you beaming