6/10

Ever since the release of their breakthrough debut LP 'Tourist History' in 2010, Two Door Cinema Club have been heralded as one of the most impactful indie-pop acts of the last decade. Despite all those tracks more than a decade old now, they are still proving anthems on the modern scene, and their repertoire since then has still maintained plenty of momentum for the trio to explore. And now after a three-year break since their 2019 LP 'False Alarm', they return once again with their fifth studio album 'Keep On Smiling', a record that looks to keep that invigorating sound going.

In these later years, Two Door Cinema Club have really reined in the bold and explosive textures of their infancy in search of a more groove-laded feel, and that is exactly what we get throughout 'Keep On Smiling'. Coopting a flavour we have heard Foals begin to move into in recent years, their latest collection aims to create smooth and refreshing ditties that offer up a more sun-kissed appeal. While it may not have the same bright and adventurous drive we are used to, they have still delivered a solid return that shines with fresh and inventive atmospheres from start to finish.

Two Door Cinema Club may have come a long way since their energetic beginnings, but 'Keep On Smiling' certainly makes for an enjoyable evolution within their form. Almost morphing into a Talking Heads-adjacent group with some of their offerings, they are continuing their pursuit of something warm and inviting to kick back to.