Panchiko have announced their third studio album ‘Chimera’ and shared its lead single ‘One Car Hits Another’, featuring Mei Semones – listen below.
The Nottingham veterans, who found viral fame after their long-forgotten 2000 demo was rediscovered online, will release the new album on April 9, 2027 via Nettwerk (pre-order here). It follows last year’s ‘Ginkgo’ and 2023’s ‘Failed At Math(s)’.
The new single ‘One Car Hits Another’ is a glitchy, bittersweet track that combines elements of Britpop and indie rock, with Semones lending her vocals to the song.
Speaking about its inspiration, Panchiko’s Andy Wright said: “I imagined a serene waltz of a car crash, whilst onlookers and soon-to-be roadkill alike all sing along watching the slow-motion collision unfold.
“A hand shake, or a car crash, the matter-of-fact news report describing the incident never makes it clear where the true devastation lies… one car hits another… one hand shakes another; they’re both meetings, technically.”
Listen to the new single here:
‘Chimera’ was recorded at the band’s own studio and is described as moving between balladry, hip-hop, shoegaze and pop across its 12 tracks.
Semones appears on three songs, while other guests include rapper billy woods, Abby Sage, Cotillon, Clarion, Hugh Pascall, Korea Girl, CJ’s Mirra Maze and Lula Nova.
The singer was also the subject of NME‘s The Cover in March 2025, when she discussed her love of jazz and rock music, and her ambition to develop a distinctive sound combining the two.
Panchiko’s story is unique, having been formed by a group of Nottingham teenagers in the late 1990s, who recorded an EP titled ‘D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L’ in 2000, before disbanding with barely any recognition.
In 2016, a copy of the recording was discovered in a charity shop and posted to 4chan, prompting an online search for the mysterious group behind it. The band’s members were eventually tracked down in 2020, by which point their music had developed a substantial cult following without their knowledge.
In 2023, Wright spoke to NME about the band’s unlikely revival, following a performance at Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms to celebrate the venue’s 20th anniversary.
“It’s still weird for us, because we’re not really used to having people come to watch us,” he said. “We don’t deserve this, but we love it!”
Panchiko are currently touring the UK and Ireland, including a show at London’s Roundhouse tomorrow (October 24), and further dates in Manchester, Belfast and Dublin.
They have also announced a special one-day merch event at JERKS and WASTE on London’s Hackney Road on Sunday (October 25), with exclusive merchandise, archival artwork and free vinyl copies of ‘One Car Hits Another’ available.
The album’s full tracklist is:
- ‘Day One’ (feat. billy woods, Cotillon)
- ‘One Car Hits Another’ (feat. Mei Semones)
- ‘Runtime’
- ‘Glas Lands’
- ‘Overwrite’ (feat. Clarion)
- ‘Glazing’ (feat. Mei Semones, Hugh Pascall)
- ‘Zinc Spark’ (feat. Korea Girl, Mei Semones)
- ‘Chimera’ (feat. Abby Sage, CJ’s Mirra Maze)
- ‘Passing’ (feat. Lula Nova)
- ‘Giorgia’ (feat. Clarion)
- ‘Swallowing Keys’
- ‘Trickle’
The band’s remaining announced UK and Ireland tour dates are:
OCTOBER 2026
23 – Bristol – Electric Bristol
24 – London – Roundhouse
28 – Manchester – New Century Hall
30 – Belfast – Empire Music Hall
31 – Dublin – Vicar Street
Find any remaining tickets here.
The post Panchiko follow up viral success with new album ‘Chimera’ and glitchy single ‘One Car Hits Another’ appeared first on NME.