Dream-pop guru Kosta Galanopoulus, better known by the moniker PWNT has just delivered a spacious new track “Shortcuts,” a tune that rings with the carefree energy of MGMT era indie synth music. PWNT, an anagram for “Play What’s Not There” is coming off a strong start in 2020 which saw a slew of wavy singles. This latest effort keeps the momentum rolling, as the instrumental and vocal performances are pristinely cerebral on “Shortcuts.” The song breathes and swells alarmingly quickly, painting a dream and snatching it away before you have time to fully appreciate it. It’s a wonderfully intriguing tease for the psychedelically inclined.
The 154 seconds of “Shortcuts” are potent ones, taking the bare bones of a piano riff and funky bassline and transforming them into an indie pop dreamscape. Soon PWNT brings in vibrant guitar strums, punching drums, and smooth horn runs to fill the scene in. The high, reverb soaked vocals from Kostas lead the way confidently, as the Kevin Parker style croons float well over the colorful instrumental. Despite being relatively new to the music industry, he sings with jarring grace, rendering the feelings of a victory lap rather than a proclamation of arrival. Perhaps the most compelling part of the whole track is the saxophone solo placed in the outro. It sings and squeals with a divine celebratory tone to end on.
“Shortcuts,” in a fitting manor, fails to waste a single second of your time. It’s here, burning bright, and gone in a flash. It’s clear that Kostas is on to something with PWNT and can take it to fascinating places.
