NYC dreamgazers PANIK FLOWER have released their sophomore EP rearview, a project deeply rooted in intentional juxtaposition. Across six tracks, the EP looks inward to explore identity; namely the double-sided nature of uncertainty and self-acceptance. It transcribes this self-exploration into a plush yet jagged soundscape. The new EP was produced, mixed, and recorded by James Duncan (Taraneh, Nara’s Room, Dead Tooth, Raavi) and mastered by Carl Saff (Drops Nineteens, Dr. Dog, Sonic Youth).
“This EP felt like a lot of us finding ourselves as a band — our sound and how we perform,” shared bassist Max Baird. “Sage’s spoken word has become such an important part of that and we really wanted to explore it in this project. It contributes a lot to the push-pull dynamic of our music, often adding another rhythmic element on top of an already lush, sonic landscape. Many of the bones of these tracks were brought to us by our drummer Marco, who was our missing piece up until early last year.”
Often drawing comparisons to Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries, Sage Leopold’s vocals are bolstered by the massive sound of her bandmates, but even more so by their sense of collaboration. These lines of communication are most evident in the ever-evolving wall of sound they create playing live, but also in the way each band member intimately contributes to the making of their music. Through the release of rearview, PANIK FLOWER has both cemented their identities internally and in how they connect with their listeners.
Their EP release came with an anxiety-ridden official video for the title track in tow. Directed by Harleigh Shaw with cinematography by Aji Bass, the music video is dark and steeped in fear as the protagonist can’t seem to outrun herself.
Shaw said, “For the ‘rearview’ video, we wanted to capture the exhaustion and horror of being your own worst enemy and this idea of running from yourself. During the song’s chaotic and moody outro, we aimed to show Sage increasingly disheveled and tired as the video evolves. The film, ‘The Amusement Park’, was a major reference for this specific section of the video. I was also very inspired by David Lynch’s films, especially because we conceptualized and shot the video right after he passed away. From an editing perspective, ‘Natural Born Killers’ was a big reference with the way it utilizes saturated colors and frenetic editing. We leaned into chaotic cuts and playing with speed, all which contributed to heightening the drama of Sage running from herself.”
