Failed At Math(s) -Panchiko: Review

Panchiko

is a British rock band that first recorded music in the late '90s and early 2000s and ultimately disbanded shortly after. Years later a CD of the bands D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L EP surfaced online after someone discovered it in a second-hand store. Even though the songs on the project had suffered from severe CD rot the band still became a sensation among music fans online who eventually found the original members who had properly mastered versions of the songs and have now returned for a tour and long awaited proper debut album. 

Review by Lavender:

The mystique of Panchiko had been working on me since long before I heard any of the material for this album. Listening to the rotted version of their songs and falling in love with the unique blend of physical and synthetic worked into both the music and story of the band, only to then hear the songs breakthrough with far more clarity than ever before was a magical experience as a fan. Getting to see them perform those songs, and some of the tracks from this record live was an experience I could have never imagined having. I explained the full story of the band and some of my thoughts on them in a video about internet core music on my YouTube channel here.

While I tried not to let that surreal parasocial interaction I had developed with the band impact my expectations for this project, I also won't lie. I was pretty excited to see what the record had to offer. While it was likely to never cause the same level of emotional impact as its predecessor, I'm happy to report that Failed At Math(s) is a very solid re-introduction from the band 20 years later. 

The 8-track, 26-minute record leads off with its three singles, two of which I still really enjoy. The title track and opener grows on me every time I hear it with a combination of jangly instrumentation and understated but very catchy refrains that is so infectious. Meanwhile, Until I Know is the closest the band comes to flirting with their emo-flavored origins. The presentation has a bit of a Death Cab slant to it though the impact of the instrumentation, particularly the drums is dialed up for even more impact. 

Portraits is the one single I'm not as crazy about, though I do still appreciate the understated vocals and synthetic blur of instrumentation. I think the song could use some stickier refrains and stronger songwriting, particularly in the wishy-washy first half. Thankfully it's eventually followed by Breakfast Séance an instrumental track I wasn't anticipating that starts off with a thicker groove than I imagined Panchiko had in them. I really don't have any complaints about it either as it jams through just under three excellent minutes right in the record's mid-point. 

I think my least favorite track on the album is Find It (A Song) which is one of its quietest though the oppressive backing synths throughout almost the entire song kind of fail to allow it the space it needs to breathe. I think it's placed at this spot in the tracklist to set up for the records closing trio of songs which contrast it by dialing up the intensity and noise significantly. Gwen Everest is the best example of this exciting rush and even though I may not like it as much as some of the singles I was always looking forward to it as a turning point on the album. 

Think That's Too Wise and Rocking With Keith mostly serve to maintain that uptick in energy and while they aren't specifically all that noteworthy they also fit well within the tracklist. The only real addition I could hope for is something that felt more sonically or conceptually like a closer, which could have been the perfect compliment to push the record to a round 30 minutes as well. 

I do admittedly have some gripes and nitpicks about this record. I think the mixing occasionally works to make moments of reservation far more overbearing than they should be and it feels a bit scant at just 26 minutes, but given how long it's been since the band last released material of any kind, how little music they had recorded up to this point, and the extraordinary circumstances that brought them back together it's hard to see this album as anything but a triumph. All I can hope for now is to witness the continued success and popularity of one of the coolest internet-core music narratives I've ever had the pleasure to experience first hand. 7/10

If you want to read another review of a long-awaited debut album from an internet-core darling, check out my review of Yaeji's With A Hammer