Review: Genki Genki Panic - The Munge

 

    I first interviewed Genki Genki Panic in 2017. It’s been 4 years and they’ve aged like a fine Transylvanian wine, fermenting and perfecting the spooky craft of what front man Project Bat has coined, Dungeon Surf. When we spoke 4 years ago, I asked if GGP would ever add vocals. “If vocals are meant to happen, they’ll happen.” And as fate would have it, vocals were added through their recently released Spookonia/Spookerboxx EP. My favorite of which was “I Was A Teenage Were-C.H.U.D.” The vocals are a perfect marriage of The Deadly Ones meet Jack Skellington. Definitely check it out. 

    This, however is a review for their most recently released 3 song EP, The Munge. First up is
"The Munge Parasito". Wait I’ve heard this before! Oh, but not like this you haven’t! "The Munge..." has been re-recorded and at a very high quality. I’ve always loved this song, but this version is punchier, sandier, and much dungeonier than the previous version - just in time for your Halloween party playlist! It’s a well deserved upgrade to an already great GGP tune. Next up is "Gas Human Being #1" which starts out with some really cool haunted house organs and a very catchy bass riff. This song is a great dancy song with heavy Hannah Barbera vibes. Definitely one you can’t help but dance to. Last up, is the "Moth Mandino Effect". I’ve become pretty good friends with Project Bat over the years. We’ve even released some music together. The thing about PB is he is a spook surf wizard. He’s genuinely studied and mastered music and more specifically this genre. "The Moth Mandino..." is a perfect example of his mastery of blending spook and surf. There is no one that does this better. Listen to me. There is no one that does this better. GGP is the definitive band of this genre to me. They have everything calculated down to a mad science. Go buy their most recent Garbage Pail Kid inspired shirt “Inhuman Centipede” which features a werewolf, mummy, vampire human centipede-style surfing atop a killer slimy swell. Go buy a sticker. Go to a show. Go share a Facebook post. This band is damn well deserving of all of your support. Rad stuff. As always. 

-Dakota Gilliland

Genki Genki Panic on Bandcamp!

Genki Genki Panic on Facebook!

P.S.: Genki Genki Panic (along with The Go-Go Killers and Burnt Toast) will be playing a BIG show with legendary UK band The Meteors on January 7, 2022 at The Brickyard in Knoxville, Tennessee!

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