On July 18, 2025, Welsh band Panic Shack released their debut album, “Panic Shack.” The album features 11 songs, including singles “Gok Wan” and “Girl Band Starter Pack.” Panic Shack includes Sarah Harvey, Romi Lawrence, Meg Fretwell, Emily Smith, and Nick Doherty-Williams on vocals.
The album was produced and mixed by Ali Chant and engineered by Niklas Lueger at The Playpen in Bristol, UK. It was mastered by Felix Davis at Metropolis Studios in London, UK. Additional instrumentation and programming were provided by Ali Chant.
The messages across the album are ones that women will be able to relate to. From the excitement of having pockets to the pressures to look the way society expects, women will be able to connect with the songs on the album. It is rare to find a band that is so candid and open about discussing these things through music, so this is an album to be treasured. It breaks what society expects of us, which is incredible.
Each song offers something unique to the album while contributing to the overall feel and voice of the album. The songs each harken back to the band’s voice, and the album is a cohesive collection of the songs.
“Gok Wan” is the second song on the album and one of the singles. It talks about how women are forced to look perfect always, and they are expected to work hard to achieve impossible beauty standards. The line, “I look good/This is all I do,” hints that women are only good for their looks, and “My body is yours/Enjoy the view” highlights that women often want to look good for others in society. Being smart and successful is not something that women are praised for in society, and this song is a commentary on this.
Overall, this album is a superb debut album from Panic Shack. From the technical aspects of mixing and engineering to the creative pieces of lyrics and music, the album is very well done and is a strong debut. Fans of punk will love this album. Only “Pockets” and “SMELLARAT” are labeled as explicit.
Track list:
1. Girl Band Starter Pack
2. Gok Wan
3. Lazy
4. Tit School
5. We Need To Talk About Dennis
6. Do Something
7. Personal Best
8. Pockets
9. Unhinged
10. SMELLARAT
11. Thelma & Louise
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