Weekly Review #5: Panchiko
Ever heard of Radiohead? Yeah, of course you have - yet you haven’t heard about their younger sibling, Panchiko. It’s time to change that in this week’s edition of Weekly Review.
Background
Panchiko is a journey of heart, mind, and soul. Founded in Nottingham, UK, the band’s beginning is odd: a group of teenagers aged 16-17 decided to release a song around 2000, but when it didn’t do much, they let it be. 16 years later in 2016, an innocent music fan in a record store stumbled upon the release. Within a couple of months, a cult had formed, and Panchiko grew at a rapid pace. That brings us to today, where they continue to put out amazing music. Let’s look at some of that now.
Outstanding Track #1: All They Wanted (Ferric Oxide, 2020)
All They Wanted is one of those songs that stick in your head long after you hear it - not because it is annoyingly catchy or whimsical, but because of the message: feeling needed. The song is a two minute, seven second cry for help, and Panchiko makes sure the listener is, well, listening.
Outstanding Track #2: Gwen Everest (Failed at Maths, 2023)
Panchiko really turns inward on this track, showing its unique style and blend of radiohead-esque sound. It starts off with a roar, as the bass drums and chorus sound as soon as you hit play. From there, Panchiko slows it down a bit, hitting you with clever wordplay like “true love aspires for moments like these”. It’s a nice song with a nice message, and a true treat for the listener.
Outstanding Track #3: Infinite Pieces (2021)
You wouldn’t be mistaken if you thought that this was a Pink Floyd song for the first 10 seconds, a Green Day song for the next 40, and then Guns N’ Roses after that - once again, the blend of musical inspiration is truly felt on this track. But the most important parts are all Panchiko - the piercing chorus and the high-pitched yet beautiful vocals.
Album Review: D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, (2000/2016)
No, I didn’t have a mental episode at my keyboard, and yes, it’s spelled correctly. D>E>A> - oh forget it, I’m going to call it DM from now on - is a beautiful journey into the consciousness of Panchiko. The title track also functions as the opener, and it immediately immerses you into the little pocket of universe that Panchiko has become so good at creating. True story: this is the album that was found in that fateful record store 16 years after its creation in 2000. Songs like CUT and Laputa explain why it went crazy: they are deep, creative, and mellow tracks that effortlessly turn out lyrics like “spin out a fire, fantasies desire” and “heaven’s doors are miles away ‘cause your stuck on the ground.” This album honestly makes Panchiko’s ascent all the more amazing, especially considering the fact that the second half of the album is just the first half in its original condition - rotten, found desolate at the record store. But just like the record, Panchiko cleaned it up and blew up - exactly as they should.
Standout Tracks: D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, Laputa, Kicking Cars
Album Score: 8.4/10
Conclusion
Panchiko’s story is absolutely remarkable, and like their albums, extremely inspiring. Thanks for reading this edition of Weekly Review on Panchiko!