Among the most compelling rediscovered media sagas of the last decade is Panchiko, a group of British teenagers making post-Radiohead alternative rock around the turn of the millennium. Their sole self-released CD-R from 2000, titled D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, escaped obscurity and later attracted a distinctly young, intensely online following in the late 2010s. The members, long since pursuing different paths, learned of their cult status in 2020 and eventually reformed, issuing a reunion record, Ginkgo, in 2024. Now a fresh LP is on the horizon.
Chimera is slated for an April release. It again sees Panchiko collaborating with billy woods, who previously contributed to the Gingko single “Shandy In The Graveyard,” alongside Cotillon, Hugh Pascall, Korea Girl, Abby Sage, Lula Nova, and CJ’s Mirra Maze. The project also features two collaborations with Clarion and three with the rising indie jazz-pop Artist To Watch Mei Semones, including the lead single “One Car Hits Another,” which arrives today.
Panchiko’s Andy Wright offers a bit of context for the track:
I envisioned a tranquil waltz that accompanies a car crash, as bystanders and the soon-to-be roadkill in the crowd sing along, watching the collision unfold in slow motion. A handshake, or a crash—the stark, matter-of-fact news report never clarifies where the real devastation lies… one car strikes another… one hand shakes another; in a sense, they’re both encounters, technically.
Take a listen below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Day One” (Feat. billy woods, Cotillon)
02 “One Car Hits Another” (Feat. Mei Semones)
03 “Runtime”
04 “Glas Lands”
05 “Overwrite” (Feat. Clarion)
06 “Glazing” (Feat. Mei Semones, Hugh Pascall)
07 “Zinc Spark” (Feat. Korea Girl, Mei Semones)
08 “Chimera” (Feat. Abby Sage, CJ’s Mirra Maze)
09 “Passing” (Feat. Lula Nova)
10 “Giorgia” (Feat. Clarion)
11 “Swallowing Keys”
12 “Trickle”
Chimera is out 4/9 on Nettwerk. Pre-order it here.
