Tracks: Phantogram - Black Out Days

Saratoga Spring duo, Phantogram are back with "Black Out Days", their first piece of material since their 2011 Nightlife EP.

In fairness, my thoughts on Nightlife we're and still are a bit patchy. Highlight track "Don't Move" was up there with our tracks of the year but the rest of the release didn't really match up to it's high standards. "Black Out Days" doesn't necessarily mark a new phase for Phantogram but hint more at a return to the drawing board. A drawing board that brought the duo success with the release of their acclaimed debut Eyelid Movies, which breathed life into a slowly dieing trip-hop genre; merging it with elements of modern day rock and electronic.

"Black Out Days" is as solid and gritty as anything seen on Eyelid Movies and that includes the pretty brilliant "Futuristic Casket". It's really hard to put your finger on what makes Phantogram so brilliant. Their ability to produce tracks with so much energy yet keep a cool and dark edge is remarkable. Barthel's vocals are as emotive as ever and all in all this is one of my favourite comeback tracks of the year so far...