The Smile Performs Atmospheric NPR Tiny Desk Concert [Watch]

The Smile recently stopped by NPR Music for an intimate Tiny Desk concert. The trio comprised of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner was joined by saxophonist Robert Stillman for a performance of songs off the band’s debut album, A Light For Attracting Attention.

According to the video description, the band arrived at the Tiny Desk early and spent 90 minutes testing out several songs in order to figure out which ones would sound best at the Tiny Desk “minus the volume and effects that shape the album’s sonic landscape.” Ultimately, the group selected four songs, though only three are included in the final performance because the band was unhappy with its performance of the other.

Thome Yorke began the performance seated at the piano, gently working the keys as he delivered a haunting “Pana-vision” in his signature hushed falsetto. He then stood up and was handed a guitar for the second tune, but in the video his instrument seems to suddenly transform into a bass because the song “didn’t make the final cut.” Instead, Tom Skinner’s laid-back drum beat signals the start of “The Smoke”, one of the groovier tunes from the album. Yorke masterfully sings the syncopated lyrics while holding down a complex bassline, complemented by Jonny Greenwood on guitar.

The Smile concluded the performance as a trio with a dreamy “Skrting On the Surface”. Using some looping and feedback effects, the band created a psychedelic soundscape before Yorke announced the end of the song, saying, “That’s it.”

Watch The Smile perform “Pana-vision”, “The Smoke”, and “Skrting On the Surface” at NPR’s Tiny Desk below.

The Smile has upcoming U.K. tour dates in January and February. For a full list of shows and ticketing details, visit the band’s website.

The Smile – Tiny Desk Concert