Panchiko released its debut EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L to little fanfare in 2000 but over the next couple of decades it attained cult status with a 2020, expanded reissue. And now the Nottingham, England indie band has released its debut full length Failed at Math(s) (out May 5, 2023). The title track of the album has an eccentric music video of ants attempting to transport what looks like a potato chip with the name of the band imprinted on one side back to their colony. What made the band’s earlier music so appealing is present in the new music too: a sense of hearing something that sounds assembled from the cast offs of an decayed civilization. Meaning it sounds part standard rock and pop band songwriting but with elements of collage and sampling in the composition whether that’s the precise process or otherwise. “Failed at Math(s)” and other tracks on the new record sound like a product of experimental electronic rock and turntablism. The title song is playful number that could be on a modern hyper pop record inspired by anime and video game music. The vocals get broken up and processed some to give it a beautiful quality of imperfection like a phone call where neither person is getting particularly good reception but the conversation is quality and you don’t want to hang up in case the reception dies off completely. And that delicate, tentative sense with a twee and heartfelt melody like something from a near future of repurposed old technology gives the song a sense of something special from another time whether that’s the near past or the far future but crafted by people making the best of limited resources and time and putting the focus on the emotional resonance. Watch the video for “Failed at Math(s)” on YouTube and follow Panchiko at the links below.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
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