PANIK FLOWER's sophomore EP 'rearview' masterfully balances delicacy and coarseness
EP RELEASE SHOW AT NY’S NIGHT CLUB 101 ON MAY 21 + BAND ANNOUNCES HEADLINE TOUR DATES FOR THIS JUNE — SEE ALL SHOWS HERE
Today, NYC dreamgazers PANIK FLOWER release 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) — Stream.
“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.
Today’s EP release comes with an anxiety-ridden official video for the title track in tow. Directed by Harleigh Shaw with cinematography by Aji Bass, the video is dark and steeped in fear as the protagonist can’t seem to outrun herself — Watch.
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.”
Ahead of today’s EP release, PANIK FLOWER played at NYC’s New Colossus Festival and then opened for King Hannah to a sold out crowd at Elsewhere. On May 21, they will play a hometown EP release show at Night Club 101 before setting out on a headline tour in June. See all dates here and below.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
May 21 - New York, NY - Night Club 101 (EP Release Show)
June 12 - Philadelphia, PA - Khyber
June 13 - Athens, OH - Smiling Skull
June 14 - Columbus, OH - Cafe Bourbon
June 15 - Detroit, MI - Parts & Labor
June 16 - Indianapolis, IN - TBA
June 17 Chicago, IL - Subterranean
June 19 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club
June 21 - Pittsburg, PA - Haven
REARVIEW TRACKLIST
“symptom of paradox”
“rearview” — Watch
“slenderman”
“alkaline” — Watch
“ocd” — Watch
“tower”
ABOUT PANIK FLOWER:
PANIK FLOWER is a dream pop band that materialized within the New York music scene in 2023. Started by childhood friends Sage Leopold (vocals) and Mila Stieglitz-Courtney (guitar/vocals), PANIK FLOWER has grown through chance introductions and Craigslist posts to include co-collaborators Jordan Buzzell (guitar), Max Baird (bass) and Marco Starger (drums). With a majority of the band’s members being native New Yorkers, PANIK FLOWER’s music is deeply reflective of the push and pull of their city, pairing atmospheric soundscapes with a restrained use of well-time punchiness.
Their soundscape of soft harmonies, hard-hitting instrumentals and cutting lyricism evoke the hazy nostalgia of distant memories — ones of love, loss and identity that have found audiences first in their immediate communities, and now to friends and strangers alike across the globe. With the release of rearview, the band’s sophomore EP sees them marrying their dream pop sensibilities with post-punk undertones.
For more information on PANIK FLOWER, please visit:
Website | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Apple Music | Bandcamp
Press photo by Ivan Alexander
