Spotlight - Dizzy Panda

Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background.

Dizzy Panda, an independent producer duo hailing from the Netherlands, has joined forces with the eclectic indie rock band, The Perics, bridging the gap between the UK and the Netherlands. Bonded by our shared admiration for the legendary band Eels, this has blossomed into a fun and exciting collaboration project.

Where are you located?

Dizzy Panda are located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The Perics are located in Liverpool, UK.

What is your artist's name?

Dizzy Panda, The Perics.

How long have you been writing music?

Dizzy Panda started in 2020. The Perics came together in 2022. All artists have several experiences before this project.

What inspired you to start playing and making music?

Like many artists, Dizzy Panda started when the world ran into a lockdown due to COVID-19. It was a way to work together from a long distance. The Perics met each other online.

What were the driving forces or pivotal moments that inspired you to pursue music?

We have always loved music, both as listeners and creators.

How would you describe your style of music?

Dizzy Panda doesn't stick to a specific genre and likes to blend genres with a touch of psychedelic/jazzy (Dizzy) or retro/chill (Panda) influences. Like all pandas, they have a dark side too. The Perics are a Britpop band from Liverpool (UK) founded in 2020 by Matt Warren, Gee Nelson (Giedeau Nelissen) and Gwen James (Gwen van Genderen). The Perics focus on great melodies, no matter what the genre is. It varies from rock to power pop to pop rock to singer-songwriter to grunge to synth punk pop.

How is your personality reflected in your work?

The guys from Dizzy Panda like to do their work in the background. The masked duo are both not attention seekers.

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

Most of the time we just start adding sounds and start with a composition. We then ask others to add something to this idea. Most of the time the final release is something completely different than the idea we started with. We love to add new things, new ideas, new sounds. Every genre adds something else. For example, house music can be very hypnotic. It blends very well with the psychedelic rock elements.

What is the name of your latest release?

Pentapolis

What was the inspiration for that release?

The title itself draws inspiration from the concept of Pentapolis, a grouping of five cities. This metaphor resonates deeply as we crafted this album without ever setting foot in a physical studio together.

The concept of Pentapolis finds its roots in the lesser-known play by William Shakespeare, "Pericles, Prince of Tyre." In this timeless tale, Prince Pericles embarks on a courageous and adventurous journey, facing shipwrecks, encounters with pirates, and the loss of loved ones. Pericles was a Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Ancient Greece. Pericles' most visible legacy can be found in the literary and artistic works of the Golden Age, much of which survive to this day.

The tracks on the album "Pentapolis" draw inspiration from Pericles' odyssey. The music reflects the diverse influences of both bands, spanning across genres from rock and jazz to pop and funk.

What challenges or unexpected moments did you encounter during the writing/recording process?

Along the way, we were introduced to three ladies from Younique, who had participated in the Dutch version of the TV program, The Voice. They joined us in a song and added their vocal harmonies.

What strategies do you find most effective for promoting your music?

We are quite unknown and it's hard to organize live performances given the fact we all live so far away from each other.

How do you engage with your fans online and offline?

We use all kinds of social media platforms. We can be found anywhere. We love to give away music, t-shirts, and other stuff. Our digital Bandcamp download contains 4 additional songs. Getmusic provides an excellent website to find a new audience to share and find new ears.

What upcoming promotional activities or releases are you most excited about?

We are already working on new material. We have a concept of 30+ songs. The name of the album will be "Helping Hand" and the main genre will be electronic. Together with musical friends, we want to select 10-12 songs that will be part of the new album release.

How can folks contact you (socials/email/websites etc.)?

Email: dizzypandarecords@gmail.com
Social media: @dizzypandamusic

Is there anything else of interest that we should have asked about? Please include it here.

We are very proud we have released the album Pentapolis on vinyl as well. We tried to launch a Kickstarter project, but we had to cancel this. We decided to continue the LP idea anyway. We did it all ourselves: mix, master, design. The pressing was done by The Record Industry, a world-famous pressing plant in our hometown Haarlem. There are only 200 copies out there. We have sent some over to the UK and Japan. We still have 50 copies left to share. Available via our Bandcamp site, recordsonvinyl.nl or soundshaarlem.nl.