Of Kemet: Last News

The Smile have posted a series of cryptic social media posts leading fans to believe they’re teasing a new album.The supergroup consisting of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner have been mystifying fans with a number of posts they’ve made on social media.Redditors have begun cracking some cryptic messages the band have been sending, which they’ve theorised leads to some titles on the tracklist of a potential upcoming project.One Instagram post, for instance, spells out the words ‘Three Zero Sum’ when using a Polybius cipher (which uses a 5×5 grid to create unique two digit numbers corresponding with a letter of the alphabet).Meanwhile, another TikTok uses a Solfa cipher (where a musical note and its length is assigned to the alphabet) to spell out ‘Seven Tiptoe’, suggesting ‘Tiptoe’ might be the record’s seventh track.And, if a recent tweet decoded with a Caesar cipher is to be believed, their recently released single ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ will be sixth in the tracklist. Check out more evidence below:Complete guide to the cryptography of LP3 (will be updated) byu/ManInCloak inTheSmileA post shared by The Smile (@thesmiletheband) ♬ original sound – The Smile BOJUTZMKZSKYZGXZKJ— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) August 23, 2024Last month, the group cancelled their upcoming European tour dates for August while Greenwood recovered from his stay in intensive care.“A few days ago, Jonny became seriously ill from an infection that needed emergency hospital treatment, some of it in intensive care.

Thom Yorke has shared a live version of ‘Back In The Game’, his new collaboration with Mark Pritchard, recorded in Sydney – watch below.The Radiohead frontman released the song last month on WARP Records, having debuted it during his solo tour of Asia, Australia and New Zealand in late 2024. It is the latest collaborative work from Yorke and electronic producer Pritchard, after ‘Beautiful People’ in 2016.Now, Yorke has shared the live performance of the song from a show at the Sydney Opera House on November 2, where Pritchard joined him on stage on synths.

Thom Yorke has teased at an upcoming new release with Mark Pritchard, titled ‘Back In The Game’.The Radiohead frontman debuted the brand new song during his recent solo tour at a show in Christchurch, New Zealand in October – watch footage of that performance below.The track is thought to be part of a full-length collaborative record that Yorke has been working on with the Australian producer Mark Pritchard, and now both artists have posted teasers that signal the track might be released on Thursday (February 13).Yorke posted an enigmatic, abstract clip on his Instagram on Friday (February 7) which includes a brief loop of pulsing, horror-themed music, while Pritchard posted the same clip, as well as the message: “BACK IN THE GAME. 13.02.25.

Jonny Greenwood has spoken to NME about the creation of The Smile‘s new album ‘Cutouts’, and the recent “fun and natural” reunion rehearsals of Radiohead.Greenwood along with Thom Yorke and jazz drummer Tom Skinner (formerly of Sons Of Kemet) released their surprise third album ‘Cutouts’ last week as the follow-up to 2022’s ‘A Light For Attracting Attention’ and ‘Wall Of Eyes’, which was released just this January.Discussing the quick turn-around between records, Greenwood said it was because “small teams move more quickly”, as opposed to the more resources being required for a Radiohead album (their last being 2016’s ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’.“And we had a lot of pent-up energy when we started,” he continued, “so it’s felt very natural to just keep going.”Check out the rest of our interview below (conducted via email as Greenwood continues to recover following a recent stay in intensive care) – where the multi-instrumentalist told us about The Smile’s work ethic, plans for the future, and the chances of Radiohead returning to the road or the studio any time soon.NME: Hello Jonny. At the Prince Charles Cinema playback of ‘Wall Of Eyes’ earlier this year, you and Thom described the songs as “unfinished canvases around a room”. How do the canvases of ‘Cutouts’ relate to those on ‘Wall Of Eyes’? “I think we had one-and-a-half records when we decided to release ‘Wall Of Eyes’ – so it was simply about finishing a few of the other canvasses off.

The Smile have announced their new album ‘Cutouts’ and have shared two new singles ‘Foreign Spies’ and ‘Zero Sum’.‘Cutouts’ marks the band’s second album of 2024 and is set for release on October 4 via XL Recordings. To preview the LP, the supergroup consisting of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, shared ‘Foreign Spies’, a synth heavy track that sees Yorke sing: “Somewhere lurking / Form a line / Falling over / Zip tied / Foreign spies / Foreign spies.”Directed by audiovisual artist Weirdcore, the song’s accompanying video features a trippy, kaleidoscope visual of what appears to be landscape depictions.The band also released ‘Zero Sum’, a track that NME had previously described as “the nosebleed-inducing 1000mph” song.

The Smile have released a surprise 12” vinyl with two new songs, ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ and ‘The Slip’ – listen to the songs below.The band – comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – had not previously announced the new release.The vinyl is currently only available physically in store in an extremely limited edition with a bespoke XL Recordings housebag, with online ordering reported to be available starting August 8 (via Stereogum).Listen to the mesmerising songs here:The band had posted cryptic AI imagery on the social media accounts on Friday (August 2), without confirming what it represented.pic.twitter.com/Xf0sUOaBEF— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) August 2, 2024Last month, the group cancelled their upcoming European tour dates for August while Greenwood recovered from his stay in intensive care.“A few days ago, Jonny became seriously ill from an infection that needed emergency hospital treatment, some of it in intensive care. Mercifully, he is now out of danger and will soon return home,” the band wrote.“We have been instructed by the medical team in charge of Jonny’s care to cancel all engagements until he has had time to make a full recovery.

The Smile have canceled their forthcoming Europe tour dates in August as Jonny Greenwood recovers from his stay at the intensive care unit.The band – comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – took to their official Instagram account to give an update on Greenwood’s health and the reasoning behind the tour cancelation.“A few days ago, Jonny became seriously ill from an infection that needed emergency hospital treatment, some of it in intensive care. Mercifully, he is now out of danger and will soon return home,” began their statement.A post shared by The Smile (@thesmiletheband)It continued: “We have been instructed by the medical team in charge of Jonny’s care to cancel all engagements until he has had time to make a full recovery.

Thom Yorke has shared full details of the forthcoming Confidenza soundtrack and the first taster from the record ‘Knife Edge’.In January, it was revealed that the Radiohead and The Smile frontman was composing original music for the film (which translates to “Trust”) from Italian director Daniele Luchetti, based on the book by Domenico Starnone.Now, it has been confirmed that he has worked on the soundtrack with the London Contemporary Orchestra alongside a jazz ensemble which includes The Smile and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner.It is set to drop digitally this Friday (April 26) with a release set for vinyl and CD on July 12. You can pre-order/pre-save all formats here. Yorke has also shared the first song from the record, the video for which you can view below.Here is Knife Edge from the Confidenza soundtrack, accompanied by an extract from the film edited by Ael Dallier Vega.To pre-order/listen/watch etc https://t.co/vcBqmUIsIE pic.twitter.com/03OWtgD0tf— Thom Yorke (@thomyorke) April 22, 2024The full tracklisting for the record has also been revealed, which you can view below.1. ‘The Big City’2. ‘Knife Edge’3. ‘Letting Down Gently’4. ‘Secret Clarinet’5. ‘In The Trees’6. ‘Prize Giving’7. ‘Four Ways In Time’8. ‘Confidenza’9. ‘Nosebleed Nuptials’10. ‘Bunch Of Flowers’11. ‘A Silent Scream’12. ‘On The Ledge’The film stars Elio Germano, Vittoria Puccini and Isabella Ferrari, and follows Pietro Vella who works in a run down Roman high school.

The Smile and Sons of Kemet – has announced a limited edition live album, recorded at one of his shows in London last year.It comes after the musician released the solo album ‘Voices of Bishara’ in 2022, which also featured performances from Robert Stillman and Chelsea Carmichael on woodwinds, Kareem Dayes on cello and Tom Herbert on bass.He then went on to perform numerous tracks from the LP at an intimate live venue in London called ‘Mu’ in January 2023 – which is located on Kingsland Road in North London and founded by the curators behind the neighbouring Brilliant Corners.Now, Skinner has announced that he will be sharing a live album following that show, which is set to arrive on May 10 via International Anthem, and features the renditions of the album’s tracks and more.The album Skinner shared in 2022 also saw the musician take inspiration from Abdul Wadud’s 1977 self-released solo cello album, ‘By Myself’, and on the night Skinner used the ‘Mu’ performance to put his own spin on Wadud’s ‘70s composition ‘Oasis’. You can check it out here, and look below for the album artwork as well as the full tracklist.‘Biashara’‘Red 2’‘The Journey’‘The Day After Tomorrow’‘Oasis’‘Camille’‘Happiness’‘Voices of Bishara Live at ‘Mu’’ is available in a deluxe package designed by Paul Camo of Studio Camo.

The Smile have debuted a new song called ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ at their recent live shows. Check out footage of the track below.The band – comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – broke out the unreleased song while on tour across the UK this month.The dates come in support of their latest album ‘Wall Of Eyes’, and have seen them break out some new tracks for the audience.It was at their show in Glasgow last week that Yorke and Co.

The Smile headlined the third night of the BBC 6 Music Festival last night (March 9), alongside the London Contemporary Orchestra – check out the video below. The COVID-formed, loose experimental band, comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, played a lengthy set at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse, the main body of which saw them joined by the classical orchestra.

The Smile have announced an extra London date on their March 2024 UK tour after phenomenal demand.The Radiohead side project – comprising Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – announced their UK and European tour back in November, alongside their new album ‘Wall Of Eyes‘.The band are due to kick off the tour at Dublin’s 3Arena on March 7 and play dates in Brighton, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham before finishing up with a show at London’s Alexandra Palace on March 23.They’ve now added a second London show at the Eventim Apollo on Sunday, March 10 due to “exceptional demand”.Tickets for the extra show go on sale this Friday (January 26) at 9am GMT from here. Fans can also sign up to the pre-sale here.A post shared by The Smile (@thesmiletheband)MARCH7 – Dublin, 3Arena 10 – London, Eventim Apollo 13 – Copenhagen, K.B. Hallen 15 – Brussels, Forest National 16 – Amsterdam, AFAS Live 18 – Brighton, Brighton Centre 19 – Manchester, O2 Apollo 20 – Glasgow, SEC Armadillo 22 – Birmingham, O2 Academy 23 – London, Alexandra PalaceThe Smile’s second album ‘Wall Of Eyes’ is out Friday, which NME described in four-star review as a “masterclass in pushing rock forward”, adding that it features “some of their best work since ‘In Rainbows'”.It added: “Where previously the comparisons to their Radiohead catalogue could warp expectations, the breadth of the material on offer here suggest that it could, eventually, flip that dynamic right on its head.”Reviewing The Smile live in New York City in 2022, NME described the show as an “expansive and dazzling spectacle”.

The Smile made a surprise appearance at a special screening event at London’s Prince Charles Cinema last night (Thursday January 18) – where the trio spoke about their creative process on new album ‘Wall Of Eyes’, working with director Paul Thomas Anderson, whether they felt any influence of The Beatles working at Abbey Road, and shared advice for struggling creatives.The event in the capital was to spotlight the band’s creative relationship with Anderson, and saw the premiere of a new silent film of never-before-seen footage of the waking of the band’s second album and new video ‘Friend Of A Friend’, as well as a full surround sound playback of the record. Anderson’s music video for ‘Wall Of Eyes’ was also screened, along with his short film ‘ANIMA’ made for Thom Yorke and a selection of videos made with Radiohead.After the full billed programme was complete, Yorke along with fellow Radiohead member Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner (formerly of Sons Of Kemet) then took to the stage for a Q&A session helmed by DJ and presenter Edith Bowman.

The Smile have announced new album ‘Wall Of Eyes’ and shared the title track – check it out below.The new album from the Radiohead side project – comprising Jonny Greenwood, bandmate Thom Yorke and former Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – is due out on January 26 via XL Recordings, which you can pre-order/pre-save here.The band have also announced news of a UK and European tour for 2024, where they’ll open at Dublin’s 3Arena on March 7 and finish up with a show at London’s Alexandra Palace on March 23. General sale tickets go live at 9am BST on Friday, November 17. You can buy your tickets here and find the full touring schedule below.Title track ‘Wall Of Eyes’ is out now and comes with a video directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Thom Yorke and Stanley Donwood have announced a new London art exhibition.The show, which is titled ‘The Crow Flies Part One’, is due to run at the Tin Man Art gallery at Cromwell Place in South Kensington between September 6-10.It’ll feature a series of new paintings that long-term friends and collaborators Yorke and Donwood created together over the past two years.Per a description, the works began as cover artwork for ‘A Light For Attracting Attention’, the 2022 debut album from Yorke’s side-project The Smile, whose line-up is completed by Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner.“The wider series will be presented alongside a Flemish woven tapestry commissioned by the artists in London to celebrate the album’s one-year anniversary,” the official listing reads.“This exhibition marks a significant moment in a 30-year artistic partnership for Yorke and Donwood, who worked on it together in Oxford and Brighton between 2021 and 2023. It takes its name from Ted Hughes’ poem Crow (1966-69), from which the band name The Smile is also derived, and draws inspiration from the Bodleian Libraries’ collection of Islamic pirate maps and 1960s US military topographic charts.“The works comprise a mixture of gouache, tempera and powdered mushroom on canvas and feature an extensive language of signs and symbols developed by the artists and codified via supporting imagery.”Tickets for the exhibition are available free of charge – you can book yours here.Donwood has created the art for all of Radiohead’s albums and promotional materials since 1994, as well as all of Yorke’s solo records.

Shabaka Hutchings – of bands including The Comet Is Coming and Sons Of Kemet – has issued a statement elaborating on his decision to stop playing saxophone from the end of this year.Hutchings first announced his plans to take a “hiatus” from the instrument on New Year’s Day, telling fans that – once this year is up – “I don’t know when or if I’ll return to the big metal horn”.Now, six months on from that announcement, he has provided a lengthier explanation of his decision, writing on social media: “What I do on stage when I play the sax is intense both physically and emotionally”.“I’m able to undertake the kind of intense touring which finds me on the road consistently”, he goes on, “treating the performance of a spiritual practice as a commodity to be sold repeatedly because of my enthusiasm towards what I’m doing. The moment this enthusiasm wanes in the slightest is the moment it’s time to reassess artistic orientation.

The Smile have “a big backlog of ideas” for new music, according to their guitarist Jonny Greenwood.The band – Greenwood, his Radiohead bandmate Thom Yorke, and former Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – released their debut album ‘A Light For Attracting Attention’ in 2022. Earlier this year they confirmed that work had begun on a follow-up.Now, Greenwood has told Consequence that the band are “still firing off each other” and “wanna keep moving forward” with new music.“The frustration of having not had access to playing in a band for a couple of years [has] just built up a big backlog of ideas,” he said.

Black Midi have announced a special festival appearance where they’ll cover a range of tracks by The Beatles.The London trio are due to perform the special “one-off” gig at the festival Le Guess Who?, which takes place in Utrecht in the Netherlands this November.Writing on social media, Black Midi explained that former Standing On The Corner member Slauson Malone 1 – who has curated his own programme – had asked “to play a set of Beatles tunes” at the event.The band will play the Fab Four-themed show on Friday, November 10 – you can find ticket information here.A listing on the official Le Guess Who? website reads: “When listening to Britain’s cacophonous Black Midi, not many would be reminded of the world’s most agreeable band of all time. In fact, apart from sharing a homeland, the two groups seem to have little in common.“Thankfully, Le Guess Who? curator Slauson Malone 1 has enough imagination to disagree.

Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood has announced a new album with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa.‘Jarak Qaribak’ will come out on June 9 and is being previewed by a first single titled ‘Ashufak Shay’.Discussing the style of the music on the album in a press release, Tassa – who has previously toured with Radiohead – said: “When people listen to this music, I really love to imagine them thinking…what is this? It sounds 1970s, but there are drum machines, there are guitars but they’re singing in Arabic…what’s going on?”Greenwood discussed how the project compared to another past collaboration with an Israeli singer, Shye Ben Tzur, saying: “‘Jarak Qaribak’ presented a similar set of problems, in that you have all these scales which don’t conform to western major/minor scales, and have notes which involve quarter-tones, and it’s very hard to impose a chord sequence on these melodies. It usually makes them collapse. It’s like reducing the resolution on a colour photo until it’s just squares.”Listen to ‘Ashufak Shay’ below alongside watching an album teaser.1. ‘Djit Nishrab’ (feat. Ahmed Doma)2. ‘Ashufak Shay’ (feat. Rashid Al Najjar)3. ‘Taq ou-Dub’ (feat. Nour Freteikh)4. ‘Leylet Hub’ (feat. Mohssine Salaheddine)5. ‘Ya Mughir al-Ghazala’ (feat. Karrar Alsaadi)6. ‘Ahibak’ (feat. Safae Essafi)7. ‘Ya ‘Anid Ya Yaba’ (feat. Lynn A.)8. ‘Lhla Yzid Ikthar’More music looks set to be on the horizon for Greenwood, with both of his main projects hinting at future new material in recent weeks.This month, Radiohead drummer Philip Selway has said that the band will release new material “of some sort” in the “next couple of years”, while The Smile – the band of Greenwood, Thom Yorke and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – have been working on new

The Smile have confirmed that they have been working on their second album.The supergroup – made up of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – told fans the news at the end of an email newsletter that was announcing additional North American tour dates. “We’re deep in recording, week 7,” The Smile wrote.

The Smile and Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner has announced a new solo album, titled ‘Voices of Bishara’, that will arrive on November 4 on Brownswood, Nonesuch and International Anthem. See the album’s artwork and tracklist below.While Skinner has released solo albums previously under the name Hello Skinny, ‘Voices of Bishara’ marks the drummer’s first record under his own name.