.

PINKPANTHERESS
‘To Hell With It’
Album Review

(19th October 2021)

Review by Kiran Redden

.

.

“Despite the daunting level of hype surrounding it, the Bath-born 20-year-old’s debut 10-track mixtape doesn’t merely justify it, but exceeds it.” – NME – 5*

“PinkPantheress’ viral success is much more than one created by an algorithm. As this mixtape shows, it’s driven by pure talent and charm” – DIY – 4*

“The beginning of something massive” – Gigwise – 9/10

.

.

PinkPantheress has quickly become one of the most promising new gems to emerge out of the gruelling past year and a half, becoming one of the biggest breakout artists in the U.K. and possibly the world. The newest sensation began her journey by releasing snippets of her songs on TikTok. The 15-second snippets gave the world a glimpse into her refreshing takes on U.K. Garage, Drum and Bass and break-beat style production glazed over with soft and heartfelt vocals. This unique take on the genre shot her to viral fame, reaching millions of streams on Spotify and landing a record deal.

After releasing five short and catchy bangers, PinkPantheress has decided to bless us all with a ten-track-mixtape entitled ‘To Hell With It’ featuring five new songs. Barely any of the tracks break the two-minute-thirty mark, making them perfect lengths for TikTok time limits, sticking to a method that has worked wonders for her so far in her early career. Being one of the most-watched up-and-coming stars in the past year or so, ‘To Hell With It’ faced a lot of hype in the build and it definitely does not disappoint. 

.

.

The project’s production, for the most part, has stuck to PinkPantheress’ style of ‘Modern Nostalgia’, as she likes to describe it, sampling 90’s breakbeat and U.K. dance music paired with lyrics that sound like they were stripped from a personal diary. She also doesn’t let this one sound restrict her creativity, venturing to use less conventional samples as well, such as one from LINKIN PARK on ‘Last Valentine’. The sample sets the tone perfectly for a darker track than we are used to from PinkPantheress. The track samples a moody riff from ‘Forgotten’ that only emphasises a breakup story of betrayal and unrequited love leading to petulance and bitterness.

While the production behind ‘To Hell With It’ is buoyant and easy to groove to, the project’s lyrics would have you believe it’s actually a breakup album. Wistfully romantic lyrics softly delivered over nostalgic boppy instrumentals has become a trademark for PinkPantheress in tracks such as ‘Noticed I Cried’, ‘Pain’ and the Mura Masa produced ‘Just For Me’. PinkPantheress’ storytelling is raw and vulnerable but can often be overlooked because of how catchy and hypnotizing her instrumentals are, especially when presented in a bite-sized format making the tracks so easy to consume and replay over and over again. 

PinkPantheress has been a breath of fresh air for listeners that aren’t too familiar with the 90’s breakbeat style of production. With all the singles she has teased and released through snippets on TikTok, her unique soft and sweet vocal delivery on fast-paced garage instrumentals have provided hit after hit. However, PinkPantheress has not let this sound limit her – she showcases her range by branching into other genres in tracks like the Dancehall and RnB inspired ‘All My Friends Know’ that samples the blissful keys and birdsong from Sven Torstenson’s ‘Wind Glider’.

.

.

‘To Hell With It’ closes up with another switch of pace from the 20-year-old with the track ‘Nineteen’. PinkPantheress shares a personal story reflecting on loneliness, failing A-levels,her confusion with where her life is heading and the paths that everyone else around her seems to be taking. The track opens with the crashing waves of an orchestra of strings that construct the foundation for the warm and sombre track, before the smooth yet moody bassline is brought to the forefront. As the track builds and cuts the bass temporarily, it doesn’t lead to her classic breakbeat drop of pacey drums. The whole track stays sensual and strays from her usual formula for instant virality on social media,  but seems to be a more affectionate and personal track. 

All in all ‘To Hell With It’ lives up to all the hype surrounding the future of the internet sensation. It is obvious that PinkPantheress knows what makes her songs so enjoyable by millions around the world and she has taken full advantage of it and has stuck to what works best for most of the mixtape. However, she refuses to be put in a box of one sound only and has bravely ventured into other areas and has come out the other side with some stellar results. From her less obvious sample choices to her soft vocals over the top of breakbeat drops, PinkPantheress has only solidified herself as a must-watch artist for the near future. If her following projects are even half as good as the potential displayed in ‘To Hell With It’, the young talent shows incredible promise in the music industry.

.

Photo Credit: Brent McKeever

‘TO HELL WITH IT’
Tracklisting

1. Pain
2. I must apologise
3. Last Valentines
4. Passion
5. Just For Me
6. Notice I Cried
7.  Reason
8.  My Friends know
9. Nineteen
10. Break It Off (Bonus)

,

.

Follow PINKPANTHERESS
 TikTok – Twitter – Instagram

Press Release 5th August 2021 (below) HERE

PINKPANTHERESS
releases debut mixtape
‘TO HELL WITH IT’

OUT NOW

.

AMNPLIFY – DB