NYC dreamgazers PANIK FLOWER release their sophomore EP rearview. PANIK FLOWER is a dream pop band started by childhood friends Sage Leopold (vocals) and Mila Stieglitz-Courtney (guitar/vocals). Over time, Jordan Buzzell (guitar), Max Baird (bass) and Marco Starger (drums) completed the band.
rearview is the journey of PANIK FLOWER finding themselves as a band and creating an unforgettable sound. Layers of spoken world, guitar feedback, and unconstrained rhythm vibrate on each track.
“This EP felt like a lot of us finding ourselves as a band — our sound and how we perform. 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.”
Max Baird
Alongside releasing rearview, PANIK FLOWER shares an accompanying music video for the title track. Directed by Harleigh Shaw with cinematography by Aji Bass, the music video for ‘rearview’ captures the track’s chaotic essence.
“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.”
Harleigh Shaw
Stream rearview on Spotify.
Upcoming tour dates:
21 May – New York, NY – Night Club 101 (EP Release Show)
12 June – Philadelphia, PA – Khyber
13 June – Athens, OH – Smiling Skull
14 June – Columbus, OH – Cafe Bourbon
15 June – Detroit, MI – Parts & Labor
16 June – Indianapolis, IN – TBA
17June – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
19 June – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
21 June – Pittsburgh, PA – Haven
Find PANIK FLOWER on Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | Website