Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’ve been listening to the latest single from one of our favourites, I Panic. I Panic, a Dutch one-man alternative theatrical rock band, has a new release out: Forgot to Tell Me, an energetic, up-tempo ska-punk / indie rock song.
I Panic has consistently impressed us with his creativity and attention to detail in his writing and production. We’ve previously reviewed him many times and have drawn comparisons to many 80s rock, pop and art rock artists. His individuality shines through and we see him as a true Artist in every sense of the word.
Forgot To Tell Me is a song which grabs your attention immediately. From the second it starts, you will find yourself drawn to the hypnotic ska beats of the guitars, the layered vocals and the overall sense of fun that prevails throughout this track.
When it starts, it reminded us somewhat of the B52s, Rock Lobster! The astounding attention-grabbing drums, with superior toms work lead into a track which doesn’t let up for a moment in its creativity and excitement.
We love the authentic addition of droning keys, and the vocals reminded us in places of Nicholas Heyward (Haircut 100) or Robert Howard (The Blow Monkeys). The droning keys give way to a repeated riff which has definite Specials influences.
The vocal riffs that sit above the keys riff remind us so much of early 80s ska – Madness in particular – and if you’re sat still by this point in the song, then we don’t understand! This is a song that will delight dancefloors anywhere across Europe.
We simply must draw attention to the high-quality drumming throughout this track. The drummer is always a key feature of ska music, and here, I Panic makes sure that is held true. The delicate and intricate hi-hat work and some astonishing fills and toms work make for a wonderful listen from start to finish.
The song has numerous sections to maintain interest. We loved the cool delays and the gorgeous stereo effects on the vocals in the breakdowns. Quite simply, we loved everything about this track. As fans of early 80s ska music, this one ticked every single box.
I Panic has absolutely nailed the early 80s ska sound with this superb, attention-grabbing track. Forgot To Tell Me is well-written, well-performed, well-produced, and a masterclass in maintaining interest throughout a song. Very highly recommended.
https://i-panic.nl
https://www.facebook.com/I.Panic.nl
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ozpLiZQRPLIyntADTMicL?si=6CryZ041TxaPw5KWJUCqyA
https://ipanic.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqph8V3nCR9LkIBa79pzhhQ
https://www.instagram.com/i_panic_music/
https://twitter.com/Marcel_Nuvole
https://soundcloud.com/ipanic
https://www.tiktok.com/@ipanic_music