Single Review: Silk Sonic – Smokin’ Out the Window
Mahnoor Imam reviews the new Silk Sonic single, ‘Smokin’ Out the Window‘.
The third single from Silk Sonic, ‘Smokin’ Out the Window‘, is the last track before the highly anticipated album’s release with a video directed by none other than Mars himself.
The music video plunges into fan-favourite classic funk and retro-soul roots akin to 1970s music. The set design consists of throwback 70s-style chocolate-brown silk suits and matching brown sunglasses with bright flashing bulbs in the shape of stars alongside the live band. With a ‘Treasure‘-esque aesthetic, the duo performs synchronised choreography to the chorus tagline: “You got me smokin’ out the window / Singing out ‘how could she do this to me?'” accompanied by Mars’ signature falsetto tone.
This slinky soul jam is carried by the humorous dynamic between Mars and .Paak with them dropping dead mid-performance in true dramatic fashion: “Why you doin’ this to me, girl? Not to be dramatic, but I wanna die”.
Along with its comedic and charming lyricism, its 70s style cadence explores jazzy harmonies with a feel-good energy. The pre-chorus: “This b**** got me payin’ her rent, payin’ for trips / Diamonds on her neck, diamonds on her wrist” crystallises the multi-genre blend of jazz and old school R&B that is built on the duo’s effortless chemistry. The single was hinted at back on the August 18th Rolling Stones issue where Mars and .Paak had this recurring riff of a stressed out man smoking out the window trying to escape anxious circumstances.
Mars is infamously known for his technical approach to producing hits as he incessantly re-works the minuscule musical details in the track. His intuitive attention to detail goes towards making the essence of the hook captivating for listeners. At its core, the single is a break-up rant: “Oh I thought that girl belonged to only me / But I was wrong / ‘Cause she belong to everybody”. Yet it is filled with comedic lyrics that buzz smooth charm. This song is the perfect final single before Silk Sonic is released on November 12th.