Most likely, it’s similar to when Jonny had a Boss SD-1 and a Boss OD-3 on his board for a brief period in 2006, before deciding on the OD-3. Or when he alternated between a Boss FV-300 and a Boss FV-500 in 2009. And as was mentioned in the last discussion of Jonny’s board, he had a Strymon Timeline instead of the DD-200 last month. So there’s probably no issue with the RE-20. It may run counter to what Jonny has said in the past about only having one delay pedal, but sometimes Jonny wants to try some new Boss pedals without dramatically changing his workflow. The Smile feels musically like an excuse to experiment outside of the Radiohead banner, so it shouldn’t be a surprise he’s trying a few new bits of gear.
Speaking of experiments, we’re far more interested in hearing Jonny play that harp with a contact mic!! Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an excuse to channel the band’s love of Alice Coultrane!