Panchiko started out in garages, played practically empty shows, and their music ended up lost on the shelves of a charity shop—forgotten and distant like a teenage memory. In 2016, however, a user came across D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, a small piece of early-2000s lost media in the form of a CD that sparked a four-year investigation to find a band that seemed as though it had never even existed.
Characterized by melancholic lyrics, synthesizers, and abundant reverb, Panchiko drew inspiration from bands like Radiohead and Nirvana, as well as from anime aesthetics and melodies often compared to 1990s Japanese shoegaze and dreampop.
Twenty years later, rediscovered and with a solid fan base that sells out their concerts, the band maintains the same inspirations from their adolescence, though they now broaden their horizons without losing the essence that has generated so much admiration among their listeners.
They are not afraid to experiment, and although worrying about whether their fans will like their new songs is a constant among artists, the band is clear about one thing:
“If whatever you create comes from a good place, is sincere, and the feeling behind your song is genuine, then it will mean something to someone.”
Author: Paula García Salido
Translation: Vasilis Kokkinellis
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