Blackout Windows – “Extra 32”

Blackout Windows – “Extra 32” – Single Review

For sure, what’s not to love here?

While Blackout Windows will tell ya this single “Extra 32” has got “touches of Dub, Jazz, Electro, Beats” goin’ on…is it just me, or did they accidentally leave Psychedelic off the list of ingredients here?  Maybe that’s intentional, maybe it’s not – all I can tell ya is that I’m pretty much trippin’ right out on listening to their latest song.  Trust me when I tell ya I don’t think that I’ll be alone in that assessment, or in feeling that way – “Extra 32” is a radiant vibe you can slip and slide right into, with dense mellow grooves that feel like you’ve just stepped into the heart of the underground music circuit for a midnight performance.

So yeah, I mean, for all intents and purposes, you can take that as a thumbs up from me.  There’s nothing I can hear in “Extra 32” that I feel needs to be changed as an objective listener – the mix is right on the money, the performances are pretty much flawless, and the design of the song itself is genuinely stellar too.  I’ll put it to you this way – anything regarding this particular single came out well in favor of the duo behind the music of Blackout Windows – but I suppose it’s also fair to say that I wondered what other gears they might have too as I listened.  That’s no massive knock against “Extra 32” – I would be willing to bet that, sure, some folks will think it’s a little long and could have potentially done a little more with the time it had…I guess I’m speaking on the potential of their behalf.  For myself personally, I sat here and looped “Extra 32” like fifteen some-odd times in a row or something like that before and after I was writing this up, and I never really felt like it got old.  The most you’ll find me conceding is that it really does stick to the one kind of pace & energy with little deviation.  Some listeners are going to love that for its inherently hypnotic qualities, while I’m sure there will be others, likely those that aren’t too accustomed to stepping into the realm of anything-Jazz related, that’ll find themselves a bit restless.  That’s just me playing the devil’s advocate though…I don’t personally know anyone, or know OF anyone that has made a substantial complaint about “Extra 32” and I don’t plan on being the first myself either.

Like I said from the start – it objectively sounds great.  I am looking forward to hearing what else the band can do, and that’s largely thanks to “Extra 32” being such an enticing gateway in.  When you’re talkin’ about an “instrumental DIY electro sax duo” – you KNOW I’m interested to hear where that goes!  Believe it or not, with current acts like TOO MANY ZOOZ and Moon Hooch out there tearing it up right now, they’ve really helped open the doors to a new generation of fans for the brass, but also set the bar extremely high in terms of how to go about keeping the people engaged and entertained.  Because we all know your aunt Janet isn’t listening to anything she can’t sing along with in the car, right?  And of course, unfortunately, many people have that very same reaction to instrumental tunes.  So that’s where I’m curious about Blackout Windows and what they can offer the people in that regard…because I’d sit and happily listen to the extremely chilled out sounds of “Extra 32” all day long, but I’m usually the exception and not the rule in cases like this.  Blackout Windows is almost SO LAIDBACK that I could see that being an obstacle for some folks…but let’s be real too – no one pleases 100% of the people 100% of the time.  In my opinion…from my perspective…”Extra 32” is likely more universal and accessible than folks outside of the genre would assume it might be…and Blackout Windows have a real good chance of winning the people over with the sensationally mellow rhythm & grooves at the core of this new single.

The real bottom line is that the combination of technique and stylistic choices work extremely well for their sound, and for this smooth & shiny new single of theirs here too.  I have the sneaking suspicion that this band outta Norwich might know all this too.  If you look on their page at Bandcamp, you’ll see that “Extra 32” is the first single they’ve released since 2022 with a different style of artwork supporting it…and while that can be a small thing to some, sometimes it signifies something else entirely…like a visual metaphor for surging forward into the next chapter…just sayin.’  It’s all about continuing to build on what they’re already doin’ as far as my ears are concerned…they’ve got all the right ingredients in place already.  Now it’s just a matter of staying game ready & fully locked in, continually refining their chops as they go, and being unafraid to push the boundaries of what they can do with the time and the talents they have.  “Extra 32” sounds stellar from start to finish, and I’m looking forward to hearing more from Blackout Windows.  We’ve ALL got space for a little more saxophone in our lives, don’t we?

The brand-new single from Blackout Windows, “Extra 32,” arrives on all major online platforms officially before the end of this year, on December 30th.  Until that magic moment is here, stay connected with them at their official page at Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/BlackoutWindows – and check out their video for “Flight” below!

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