Failed at Math(s)

It’s honestly wild that this album even exists. Like, if you know the story of Panchiko, you get it—it’s kind of legendary at this point. Their first album, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, basically disappeared until people went full detective mode to track it down, and now, over two decades later, we’re here with a brand-new record. That’s insane. It feels like something that shouldn’t have happened, but it did, and I think fans of their first album are gonna be pretty stoked about it.

There’s a lot to love here instrumentally. My favorite track has to be “Gwen Everest”—it’s got this textured, layered instrumental with fast-paced drums that just go off. It’s easily the most head-banging song on the album, and Owain’s vocals slide in perfectly with the vibe. The opener, “Failed at Math(s),” is also fantastic. The dreamy guitar work and those super pretty chords pull you in right away, and there’s this glitchy touch to it that works really well. Then there’s the closer, “Rocking with Keith,” which starts off slow but ends on this big, noisy high note that ties everything together really nicely.

That said, not every track hits the same for me. “Breakfast Séance” felt like it was missing something—probably vocals to give it some extra energy. It’s a trip-hop beat that just doesn’t go anywhere exciting and kind of drags. I also wasn’t super into the vocal processing on “Think That’s Too Wise”; it felt a little overdone and pulled me out of the song at times.

Still, it’s hard not to appreciate what they’ve done here. Sure, I wish the album was a bit longer, but the fact that Panchiko even came back and gave us this is kind of magical. Shoutout to them for delivering something new for the fans who’ve stuck around since the crazy internet hunt for D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L. What a time to be alive.

PANCHIKO - FAILED AT MATH(S)

RATING - 7.1/10

FAVORITE TRACK - Gwen Everest

GENRE - Indie, Alternative Rock