NYC-based dreamgazers Panik Flower release rearview today, a six-track EP that dissects identity through contrast. The project leans into the tension between delicacy and coarseness — plush textures set against sharper edges — both sonically and lyrically. Produced, mixed, and recorded by James Duncan (taraneh, nara’s room, dead tooth, raavi) and mastered by Carl Saff (drop nineteens, dr. dog, sonic youth), the EP also arrives alongside a horror-tinged video for the title track, directed by Harleigh Shaw.
“This EP felt like a lot of us finding ourselves as a band — our sound and how we perform,” says bassist Max Baird. He notes that vocalist Sage Leopold’s spoken word became a foundational element of the record: “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.” Baird also credits drummer Marco Starger — who joined in early 2024 — with shaping much of the material: “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.”
Leopold’s vocals, often compared to Dolores O’Riordan, cut through thick layers of guitar and ambient wash. But the cohesion of rearview doesn’t come from any single performance. The band leans into its collective voice, crafting a sound that builds and breaks in waves, especially evident live. Collaboration isn’t just a process for Panik Flower — it’s the mechanism behind their dynamic range.
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The new video for “rearview,” shot by Aji Bass and edited with chaotic precision, visualizes the internal tension embedded in the EP. “We wanted to capture the exhaustion and horror of being your own worst enemy,” says Shaw. “During the song’s chaotic and moody outro, we aimed to show Sage increasingly disheveled and tired as the video evolves.” The visuals pull inspiration from The Amusement Park, Lynchian cinema, and Natural Born Killers, relying on saturated colors and aggressive, disorienting edits. “We leaned into chaotic cuts and playing with speed,” Shaw explains, “all which contributed to heightening the drama of Sage running from herself.”
Rearview follows Panik Flower’s 2023 debut and expands their sound without losing the haze and bite of their earlier work. The band — Leopold, Mila Stieglitz-Courtney (guitar/vocals), Jordan Buzzell (guitar), Baird, and Starger — formed through a mix of long-standing friendships and Craigslist calls. All five live in NYC, and the city’s pace and unpredictability can be heard in how the tracks stretch, collapse, and regenerate.
The band has already previewed the EP live at New Colossus Festival and recently opened for King Hannah at Elsewhere. They’ll celebrate the release on May 21 with a hometown show at Night Club 101 before heading out on a headlining tour across the Northeast and Midwest. Dates include Philadelphia, Columbus, Detroit, and Chicago, with more to follow.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
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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
