Sonna are unquestionably one of America’s most interesting instrumental rock ensembles. While much of the world’s attention has remained fixed on Tortoise and Canada’s Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Sonna have quietly realized their own gentle melodic dialect. On their second album, the quartet’s harmonic guitar lattices support Jim Reid’s always spacious and multi-accented drumming in the same way that Art Blakey’s round-the-kit flourishes guided the The Jazz Messengers’ horn soloists. Again Sonna have achieved and perfected a balanced playlist: all five compositions on Smile sit naturally next to each other like song birds in symphony on a telephone pole. While others in their league (Low, Sigur Rós, Tarentel) languish in gloomy climes for artistic effect, Sonna conjure sunrises, clear skies and mornings of possibility. Take their record’s title to heart and listen, with only the best to come after.