Kostas Galanopoulus, psychedelic mastermind behind music project PWNT, has just released his second single of 2021 entitled "Days in the Summer." The shimmering seasonal jam comes with an accompanying music video that shows Kostas soaking up sun in a series of stylistic lo res scenes. What's even more exciting is the announcement of PWNT's debut album Days in the Summer, which is slated for release on June the 25 of this year. Along with being a fitting choice for vibrant summer listening, the first full length from PWNT comes at a perfect time, as his creative momentum has been building tremendously since he began releasing singles in early 2020.
"Days in the Summer" provides a more upbeat and altruistic pace than the laidback slacker rock banger "Shortcuts" that oozed in last March. Built around a steady flow of piano quarter notes, the new song feels like a more traditional rock ballad in many moments, contrary to the more visceral psychedelia of his other singles. The more pop oriented conventions do well here for Kostas, who is still able to sling his high pitched croons and incorporate a range of rich sonic layers. There's still a space for experimentation however, most notably in the shifty instrumental outro that features a staggeringly sharp flute solo. The breakdown is an unexpected jazzy masterpiece, reminiscent of a 70s blaxploitation movie. It's a bizarre yet beautiful way to close out the track, which is otherwise a perfectly light and accessible summer song.
PWNT is truly a renaissance man of music, who can tackle any genre and flip it into an uplifting head-nodder. Right now, there's no better soundtrack for the upcoming sunny days and vaccinated immune systems.
