Following in the same vein as bands such as Enter Shikari and Skindred, Pengshui have come along with a debut album which mashes up two genres you wouldn’t traditionally hear together, into something energetic and invigorating. This time around Pengshui have mashed together the sounds of both punk rock and grime, two things which by themselves might seem completely different, but come together in harmony on their debut release.
Whilst it’s an album you can headbang along to, it’s clear that these songs are purpose built for a live environment. The energy is kinetic from the off during “Wickedest Ones” and is relentless throughout. It’s hard not to imagine a crowd bouncing along to it in club venues up and down the country. Make sure you listen to this on a decent pair of headphones as the mixing of the bass sounds really good. The grooves worm their way into ears and remain in your head for days on end.
The band can lay down a rhyme pretty well, it’s the tracks with the guest stars on them that really pop. “Wiseman” featuring Footsie works in a way that will not only please metal heads, but will please true fans of grime. “Lights Out” is one destined more for the Discord nightclubs with its riotous chorus featuring Vulgatron but never feels any less accessible.
One could argue that despite the merger of these two sounds, some of the songs might start to blend into one another and there is a little lack of variety. “No Joke” towards the end of the album gets a little lost for this very reason. However, the album itself is very little over half an hour long and hits you like an adrenaline shot. For the flow that runs throughout many of these tracks, it’s somewhat jarring that the album almost abruptly ends on an interlude. Maybe it’s a sign that there is still a lot more to come from these three London boys.