Photo credit: Raymond Flotat
The Smile, the latest musical side project from star members of legendary British rock group Radiohead, Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood, have released their latest single, “Bodies Laughing,” from their upcoming album Cutouts, set to release this Friday, October 4th. Keeping consistent with the group’s fondness for experimental visual work, the song comes with an accompanying visualizer that blends elements of psychedelia, beach-goth, and acid-surf to complement the track’s ethereal, tropical sun-pop sound. This all comes off the heels of the group’s cancelation of their August European tour following Green’s hospitalization due to severe infection in July, signaling The Smile may be ready to return now that he’s had a chance to fully recover.
“Bodies Laughing” features Thom Yorke’s signature wispy vocals, softly guiding the track with his familiar, inviting melancholy. The sound is a mix of irony and sincerity, as Greenwood’s guitar playing blends elements of upbeat surf-pop with dark, gritty post-punk. When combined with the disorienting yet enthralling visualizer, the resulting feeling mimics the kind of anxious curiosity often experienced while under the influence of hallucinogens. On one hand, there’s an urge to run away in horror, yet there’s also an undeniable draw to the beauty. The Smile encapsulates this bizarre feeling masterfully in “Bodies Laughing”, creating a listening experience that is truly engaging and unique.
Listen to “Bodies Laughing,” complete with its trippy visualizer, below:
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