Cutouts, the second album from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and drummer Tom Skinner as The Smile, pushes the band's creative boundaries with a more atmospheric and experimental approach than their previous release, Wall of Eyes. Developed from live performances in 2021 and 2022, Cutouts prioritizes ambiance and intensity over traditional song structures, blending Yorke’s incisive lyrics on capitalism, climate change denial, and sociopolitical anxieties with a textured, funkier sound. Tracks like "Don't Get Me Started" pulse with synth-driven momentum, while "Zero Sum" is filled with hyperactive lead guitar and rhythmic complexity. Greenwood’s "Eyes & Mouth" combines spiraling riffs with jazzy piano chords, and "Colours Fly" merges Egyptian scales and sonic density in a nod to Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song” and “The National Anthem".

Produced by Sam Petts-Davies, Cutouts was recorded at Greenwood's home studio in Oxfordshire and at Abbey Road Studios in London, during the same sessions as Wall of Eyes. Yorke explained that The Smile divided the material between the two albums to avoid burnout and ensure each song’s integrity, with Cutouts as its own distinctive record. Greenwood employed extensive delay effects, adding depth to the album’s edgy soundscape, while tracks like "Instant Psalm" and "Tiptoe" feature orchestral strings, acoustic guitar, and intricate piano arrangements.

The album title, inspired by Yorke’s reading on Russian espionage, refers to “cutouts” proxy characters used to create covert connections. Yorke connected this concept to the fragmented interactions of modern social media, questioning the reduction of complex discourse to two-dimensional avatars and simplistic exchanges. Through Cutouts, The Smile offer a complex, thrilling exploration of their evolving sonic chemistry and a sharp reflection on our collective isolation in the digital age.

Pressed on an Indie Shop Edition white vinyl, released via XL Recordings in 2024. 

Tracklist:

Side A