Panicland

An appreciation of negative feedback is a rare quality in a young group of musicians, but Winnipeg pop foursome Panicland not only appreciates it, they enjoy it.

"I personally love it," Braedon Jane, the 21-year-old lead singer and primary songwriter of the band, says laughing. "Everytime I see something negative, it’s just a confirmation we’re doing well. If there’s not any negativity, you’re doing something wrong — I mean to an extent, if everyone hates you, you’re doing something wrong."

Panicland reached the Canadian charts with their single Bad Word.
Though they’ve only been releasing music for a couple years and haven’t yet put out a full-length record, Panicland is already a full-time gig for Jane and his bandmates, bassist Ian Willmer, 21, drummer Travis Hunnie, 19, and guitarist and younger brother Riley Jane, 17. Between their touring schedule and Braedon’s regular trips to Los Angeles and other cities to partake in co-writing and recording sessions, Jane says they wouldn’t have time to do anything else. Their parents support their decision, though, with Jane saying his mom and dad may even be "disappointed" if he or his brother were to give up on their music careers and head to university instead.

And Jane’s parents aren’t the only ones who see his potential — after his interview with the Free Press, he was headed to Los Angeles once again to co-write and record some demos with Keith Harris, a producer who has crafted hits for some of the biggest names in music, including Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Britney Spears, Usher, Mariah Carey, the Black Eyed Peas and many others. Jane takes the writing sessions seriously and values the experience an older and wiser co-writer can bring to the table, saying it forces him out of his comfort zone and pushes him to be a stronger musician and lyricist.

"Even if you don’t get a great song or even if you don’t use the song, you gotta go into looking at it is as a learning experience because there are people who have done so much in their careers... you can’t go in there and act like you’re equal with them — you have to learn from their advice, you have to forget everything you know and just be open to new ways of making music," he says.

Panicland dropped their new single, Bad Word, in July, and the song has been getting a largely positive response — it’s been on regular rotation at some local radio stations and charted nationally, entering at No. 47 on the Canadian pop charts.

"We were super excited to hear that," Jane says of the single charting. "We worked a long time on that song... if you look at my computer and my iTunes playlist, I have 53 different versions of that song. We wanted to put out something that had a little more attitude to it and it wasn’t necessarily a shy love song, we wanted something that was a little more cocky and got to the point a little bit more in the way that it could give somebody confidence."

While there’s no full album officially in the works as of yet, Jane says the focus right now is on writing a huge collection of material, with the intention of eventually narrowing that down to their next single, as well as slowly building up their fanbase nation-wide through their active social media pages and continuing to play shows when they can.

"There’s definitely enough written for a full-length album but right now it’s more about timing," says Jane. "We want the single to get as much traction as possible so that when we do put out an EP or and album, it reaches as many people as possible."

As of now, Panicland is still an independent band. Jane says offers have come in, but remaining independent is an important step during the early stages of their career.

"We’re trying to stay independent as long as we can because we have a very clear vision of how we want to do things," says Jane. "We do hire people to the team that we work really closely with to push everything forward, but we want to do all of that without the record label right now.

"It’s nice, when we looked at the charts for the single Bad Word, we’re the only artist on the charts that’s listed as independent,"he continues. "That’s something we’re proud of, and we do want to stay that way as long as we can."

By Erin Lebar - Winnipeg Free Press

Hot on the heels of their Canadian promotional radio tour, Winnipeg’s pop-sensation Panicland release their newest single “Bad Word” today on iTunes and Spotify. Early support at radio include Hot 89.9 (Ottawa), 90.3 Amp (Calgary), Hot 93.5 (Sudbury), 99.1 Hits (St. John’s), CKXS (Chatham), Hot 105 (Charlottetown), 101.9 The Giant (Sydney), 101.1 The One (Brooks), 101.3 Kool FM (Bonnyville).

“I’m extremely proud of the fact that our first single is one that I wrote and produced 100% myself at home,” says lead vocalist Braedon Basseo. “I wanted ‘Bad Word’ to have some attitude and old school rock n’ roll spirit to it. I’d love to prove that pop music doesn’t have to be dumbed down and can be dangerous by taking cliches of pop music and turning them on themselves.”

As a band with a do-it-yourself mentality, Panicland are seasoned live performers. Through determination and hard work, the band have started to make a name for themselves in their hometown of Winnipeg and have garnered an impressive social media following which includes 27,000 Twitter followers.

Panicland is comprised of Braedon Basseo (vocals and guitar), Ian Willmer (bass), Riley Basseo (guitar), and Travis Hunnie (drums).

Basseo’s co-writing credits include Gavin Brown (Metric, Billy Talent, 3 Days Grace), Joe Cruz (Carly Rae Jepsen) and Tommy Mac (Hedley). - Vents Magazine

Q: What’s new in the world of Panicland?

A: Lot’s of music! As soon as “Bad Word” came out I was very proud of it and wanted to make something better. That single was 100% self-written and produced, so I want to bring some more people into the mix for the next batch of music and see what happens! Hopefully something that people—including the band and I—don’t expect.

Q: How was it recording the single “Bad Word”?

A: Because it was going to be our first radio release I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure the song was something I was really proud of style-wise, lyrically and musically. I wanted it to sound like a band, but not in the typical way. I wanted it to feel like a group of guys driving around at 2 a.m. belting a bunch of jams—a very spontaneous, jammy vibe. So I obsessed over the idea of that vibe, watching movies that I thought had the same mood and constantly changing the lyrics, mix and arrangement until the direction was obvious.

Q: What is the future of Lyric Videos versus regular promo videos?

A: I think lyric videos are great for the initial introduction of a song, but music videos are always going to be the best way to visually represent a style. I like to think of songs like little movies so we’re oozing with music video ideas. I can’t wait to start it.

Q: Do you consider album artwork as important now that music is mostly downloaded?

A: No, I don’t. I love the idea of album artwork but it’s not necessarily selling point like it used to be. It’s more something that’s fun for the fans. For example, back in the 80’s the average kid would be in a record store intrigued by the album art and buy it. He couldn’t look it up on YouTube or Spotify first.

Q: Vinyl is making a comeback. Do you have a personal preference? Are you producing on vinyl?

A: I’ve always loved the idea of vinyl. As soon as I started working and making money when I was 12 I’d spend it all on vinyl. I think I’ve always been drawn to the nostalgia around records. They have so much character but I don’t necessarily agree with the argument that they sound better. You have to have a top-notch needle and a top-notch system. But I’m happy listening to vinyl on a Crosley – it’s about the mood for me.

Q: Do you have any tours coming up in the near future?

A: We’re planning another radio/press tour at the moment!

Q: How important is merchandising? Could artists survive without?

A: It is a huge revenue stream but I don’t think it’ll make or break an artist’s financial success. Take producers or songwriters that write for other artists, they’re not marketing themselves and don’t sell merchandise but are still financially successful. I think merchandising, besides being another venue stream, is a huge part of establishing a brand and having people feel ownership over you. KISS is the kings of it.

Q: What would be some of your main musical influences today?

A: Elvis Presley for having such star power and swagger and Motown music because the greatest songs of all time came from Motown because of their intense work ethic. Those have always been my two go-tos and I keep learning more and more from both every day. I’ve been trying to listen to a new album every day – today I’m listening to “Last Year Was Complicated” by Nick Jonas – I can already hear the Motown influence in it.

Q: Where do you see music in general going in 20 years from now?

A: I love this question and I love hearing other people’s thoughts on it! I often hear people say, “it’ll get more electronic” or “it’ll come full circle and be more organic” but those are just the sonic elements of music. I think music from other cultures will be a lot more prominent in American music. When you start to think about the possible fusion of music from different cultures there a lot of possibilities, which is exciting to me! - Music Legends

PANICLAND – Winnipeg.
Understanding that Twitter/Instagram/YouTube is the current way to go to be discovered in today’s music industry environment, a fortuitous meeting between two 14 year-old lads at a Winnipeg music shop in 2009 is starting to pay dividends.
Having experienced a couple of wobbles in their early lineup, vocalist/guitarist Braedon Horbacio and bassist Ian Wilmer have now completed the band by adding Braedon’s 16-year-old brother Riley on guitar and 18-year-old Travis Hunnie on drums and have quickly developed a reputation as teenage heartthrobs with a series of concerts at high schools and all-age venues across the country.
Good enough to catch the ear of former Harlequin guitarist Glen Willows who now serves as the band’s manager, Panicland have performed at the 2015 NXNE showcase in Toronto, have signed on with Ralph James’ T.A.G. agency but are in no rush to sign a recording contract as they seek out U.S representation.
Having released two singles; “The California Song” and “Runaway” which have attracted over 150,000 hits on You Tube and over 20,000 Twitter followers plus having received support from the likes of Much Music and SOCAN, Panicland are certainly indicative of the new, youthful talent being spawned in this country. - Music Express

ICYMI, we’re obsessed with Panicland’s music right now. We were recently lucky enough to talk to Braedon, one of these Canadian cuties, and he told us so many great stories!

Did you know the guys sometimes sneak into A-list parties (for business purposes, of course)? Well, they do, and it’s the best thing ever. “We’ve been to a lot of industry parties, like a lot of award shows and stuff by dressing up,” Braedon tells us. “We would get into those parties and we would network and get everyone’s numbers and we weren’t supposed to be there.”

So, are the days of crashing celeb parties over for Panicland? Nope! “We still do that sometimes actually,” Braedon confesses. “There was one time we snuck into an awards show and we hung out with all these people, like the band Magic!, Carly Rae Jepsen, like everyone was there, and I guess there was security coming up to us with a list checking what your names are. And we were like, ‘okay, let’s just make something up’ and then it actually turned out that we were allowed to be there! So this whole time, we thought we were doing this great job of sneaking in, but it turned out we were on the list anyways.”

We are so NOT surprised that the band was invited to this party! Obviously, we think they should always be invited, but we’re not the only ones, because they’re also really making a name for themselves in the music industry! You see, boys? You don’t need to sneak into parties anymore! But if they still want to, we’re throwing a holiday party in a few weeks and Panicland is 100 percent on the guest list (but we can pretend they’re not).

Would you sneak into a party with Panicland, Popmaniacs? Let us know in the comments! - Popmania

Have you heard Panicland’s music yet? Listen here if not, because this Canadian band is uh-mazing! We recently had the privilege of talking to band member Braedon on the phone and he dished some hilarious stories!

Like, that one time he was having a sweet tooth type of day, so he decided to act on his craving. “At our last show about two weeks ago, everyone threw their Halloween candy on-stage,” Braedon tells us. “I tweeted out before we went on-stage that we really like Halloween candy and so everyone just threw it on-stage and there was so much covering the whole stage and everyone was just slipping all over it.” Oh man, we hope nobody was injured! But free candy is definitely an awesome perk of being a star on the rise! We’re jelly. Great — now we just want jelly beans.

This isn’t the only funny thing that’s happened to the band at a concert, though! One time, when they were in the audience at another artist’s show, THIS happened — “a funny [story] was when we were at a concert and a girl was videotaping it from afar and then another girl slowly started walking up to us and then she just ran right up, and she basically attacked and she kissed me right on the lips — and then she ran away.” LOL, we love this story! Who was this mysterious girl? Should Braedon have run out after her? Who knows — maybe she was his soulmate!

Now we definitely need to go to a Panicland concert, just in case we witness something crazy! Oh, and also to enjoy these boys’ *crazy* talent, obvs. We cannot wait for them to perform in the U.S. — hopefully it will be soon!

Do you love Panicland’s music as much as we do, Popmaniacs? Let us know in the comments! - Popmania

An East Kildonan pop band is getting a charge from a big-time Canadian producer.

Panicland, featuring guitarist/vocalist Braedon Horbacio, bassist Ian Willmer, and drummer Kyle Fox, will head to Toronto this fall to work with former Treble Charger frontman Greig Nori. Nori has produced albums for major acts like Sum 41, Mariana’s Trench, and Hedley.
Horbacio said band manager Glen Willows contacted Nori last year to gauge his interest in the band, whose members are all 18.

"We weren’t expecting anything out of it. We didn’t really take it seriously at all because he’s a big-name producer and we’re not really anything right now," Horbacio said. "He emailed back and he was all excited about working with us."

Horbacio feels working with Nori will help provide a distinct pop direction for the group, which has more than 100 songs in its repertoire, as the mega-producer’s sound has softened a touch since his rocking days in Treble Charger.

"We have all these fake bands that we make," Horbacio said, noting the most recent creation is an 80s hair metal group called Wolf. "Every band has its own album, and every album has its own mood. We can pick and choose what we want. We could easily take an 80s song and convert it to a pop song very easily."

Panicland first started putting down roots in 2007 when Willmer and Horbacio started playing in a band program at Mar-Schell’s Music at 1143 Henderson Hwy. The duo learned old songs by the likes of The Beatles and Jerry Lee Lewis.

They recalled the program being a "strict" one of mandatory attendance, but it helped them find their way as artists.

"If you didn’t know your song one practice, you were out of the band. If you forgot your guitar, the practice was off," Horbacio said.
"And if you were sick, there was a puke bucket," Willmer added.

After working with different members, Willmer and Horbacio added Fox about a year and a half ago.

Fox said he’s more than happy to make the 40-minute drive from Linden Woods to the band’s rehearsal space at Horbacio’s McLeod Avenue home.

"I love being able to do this, and I come play as much as I can," Fox said. "I’ll do it if I need to. It’s why I’m here."

The band is working to build its following before recording its full-length debut. It debuted its mix-tape MMXIII in a show at the Park Theatre on Aug. 2 before embarking on a mini-Western Canadian tour to Edmonton, Calgary, and Red Deer. The band has been building its following online through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other musically-based social networks.

The band started rehearsing five to six hours a day at the beginning of summer, and boosted that to 12 hours in advance of the tour. - The Herald

Many young musicians yearn to hit the road hard, to follow that runaway dream and chase it to stardom. But few of them actually put in the time, effort, and miles to do it.

But Panicland, a guitar-based pop band based out of East Kildonan, possess a honed pop sensibility and a work ethic that might just help carry them the distance to achieve those dreams.

"We’ve been playing every day but weekends," Braedon Horbacio, vocalist/guitarist and principal songwriter in the group, said from a tour stop in Medicine Hat, Alta., last week.

"We play high school gyms across Canada to about 800 to 1,000 kids per show," Horbacio explained. "It’s a huge learning experience to be on a tour this well thought out. There’s a big stage, there’s a lot you learn playing to big crowds every day rather than playing to clubs."

The tour, organized by LiveDifferent.com, brings positive messaging into high schools. For Panicland, it’s an opportunity not only to see the country, but to hone their chops on a daily basis playing to new audiences every day.

"It’s fun to play for a crowd who has no clue who you are," Horbacio said. "I like the challenge of having to win people over."

Panicland certainly enjoy a challenge. The band had its genesis in 2007 when Horbacio and bassist Ian Willmer met in a band program at Mar-Schell’s Music at 1143 Henderson Hwy. The rigorous program helped the two young musicians hone their chops.

While still students at Miles Macdonell Collegiate, Horbacio and Willmer worked with a number of drummers until they found Kyle Fox in 2012. Fox made the daily drive across town from Linden Woods to East Kildonan to rehearse, and the band started winning fans with their catchy tunes and high energy live performances.

With a couple recent self-produced singles to their credit, Panicland is starting to reap some of the rewards sown over years of hard work. Their most recent single, "Runaway," has received airplay on Virgin 103.1 and seems poised to pick up steam from there.

"It’s been doing really well, getting radio play across Canada," Horbacio said.

The band even shot and edited the video for the tune themselves.

While it is hard to deny the catchy choruses and radio-ready production of "Runaway," and easy to imagine it playing out of car windows aplenty this summer, much of the single’s success at breaking into the mainstream radio market has been Panicland’s savvy use of social media. The band make ready use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other music-focused social media to engage with fans on a daily basis.

"That’s the nice thing about social media," Horbacio said. "You can send out a Tweet and it’s immediate, it just goes."

The second half of their LiveDifferent tour will see Panicland on the road until mid-June. Before then, the band — which is rounded out by Braedon’s 16-year-old brother Riley on guitar — is looking forward to a homecoming show at the Park Theatre (698 Osborne St.) on April 13.

The band even have a big announcement planned, though Horbacio was reluctant to divulge any of the details. However, he would say that Panicland has "a ton of new music planned" and is really excited to share it with their friends, family, and fans.

"We miss everybody in Winnipeg," Horbacio said. "It’ll be a really fun show. Come hang out with us for a few hours."

Panicland perform April 13 at the Park Theatre, with guests Paisley. Doors open at 6 p.m., show at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the door. - The Herald

By: Remington Fioraso

Panicland is a pop group hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The band consists of Braedon Jane on Vocals/Guitar, Riley Jane on Guitar, Ian Wilmer on Bass, and Travis Hunnie on Drums. The band is currently on tour with Live Different. I had the opportunity to do an email interview with Panicland so be sure to continue reading to find out more and check out their social media pages!

Who are your influences?

Braedon: There isn’t a genre I don’t like! We’re all obsessed with anything old school… I LOVE old soul or Motown music though, like The Supremes, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson ­ that’s music with spirit. You don’t just listen to it, you feel it. Whenever new music is able to have that same spirit it’s amazing! ­

How did you guys meet?

Braedon: We got together at a music store in Winnipeg called Mar­Schells in 2007. The owner, Mark, let us practice upstairs and acted as coach. They were hard on us too! If you were a minute late to practice, you were out of the band. If you came to practice without learning the songs, you were out of the band. If you were sick, there would be a puke bucket by your mic stand – you had to show up. I’m thankful now for all of that because the work ethic stuck with us over the years! ­

What inspired you to name the group ‘Panicland?’

Braedon: It was actually a bit of a weird situation, now that I think about it! Back when we were 14 we used to write and record tons of music at a studio in my house. The styles all sounded completely different from each other – so we gave each style it’s own band name. We had a brit-pop band called “The Invasion” and a cheesy 80’s metal band called “Wolf” and each had enough songs for a full album! Our favourite “album” of songs ended up being the Panicland batch of songs, so we went with that name! We still have our cheesy metal band, by the way. ­

What are your favourite song(s) to play?

Ian: My favourite is our cover of The Jackson 5’s “Rockin’ Robin”. We’ve been playing it on the tour and that’s the song that gets everyone running up to the stage. I love playing old stuff too so its great! It’s also really fun to watch Braedon run around the entire venue like a madman for his solo!

What is next for Panicland?

Braedon: We’re in the middle of looking at some record deals right now and want to wait just a little longer… I think 2015 is going to be a great year! We’re working on dozens of new songs – an EP and an album. We’ll also be pumping out a few music videos this summer! ­

At Canadian Beats, we like to include ‘fun’ questions to help fans get to know you a bit better, What is your favourite album?

Ian: Abbey Road by The Beatles! It’s definitely my most­ listened to album. We had a cassette of it in my parent’s super old car that only played tapes. I played it so much on road trips that it started to skip at some of the best parts. That’s part of the reason I wanted an iPod Nano so much as a kid. ­ ­

Who is your favourite superhero?

Riley: My favourite superhero would have to be Spider­Man! I remember going to the first movie the day it came out when I was little, I and I even pretended to be him by crawling out of the theatre haha!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it?

Riley: Mine would be the ability to teleport! Theres so many places in the world that I really want to visit, but never got the chance too. Teleportation would really solve that problem! ­

Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

We have TONS planned for this spring and summer and can’t wait for you guys to see it. This is going to be the best year yet! - Canadian Beats

The Winnipeg-based pop group, Panicland, have released their highly anticipated new single, “Wasted”. A follow-up to the group’s successful debut single, “Bad Word”, which reached #26 on the Billboard Top 40 Canadian Singles Chart and the Top 20 on CHR, “Wasted” brings a nostalgic and eclectic spin to their already intoxicating sound.

First off, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. How are you feeling now that the release of “Wasted” is within sight?

Thank you! We have had “Wasted” finished for a long, long time but didn’t decide to release it until now because we wanted to be able to follow it up with songs that are equally as strong and come from the same place. “Wasted” set the bar for every song that came after and now that those songs are finished too so we’re coming full circle by releasing the song that inspired the rest of the album.

How does “Wasted” differ from “Bad Word”, if at all? Does it signal a change in style for Panicland?

I actually think we’re a new band with the same name – mostly because “Wasted” wasn’t written for Panicland and was never even supposed to be released, which I’ll explain more below. After writing with so many different people, and having to adjust to so many strong opinions, I was pretty over having to guess which audiences would figure it out and have to explain why. By the time you explain why it’s the right time to release a certain kind of song, it’s already too late. So, while continuing to record the music that was supposed to follow “Bad Word,” I started writing and recording songs for myself that I would enjoy, not caring at all about what other people would approve or not approve. Ironically, this perspective is what’s responsible for our new single!

Tell us more about the writing process for “Wasted”, and what the co-writing experience was like.

“Wasted” actually wasn’t co-written by anyone – I wrote and produced the song. Like I was saying in the last question, I didn’t actually mean for anyone to hear it except for an ex-girlfriend, whom I wrote it for. I’m good with strategy, working hard, recording etc. but terrible at emotions and relationships. So after we broke up I was originally going to send her a mixed tape of songs by other artists to say what I wanted to say but none of the songs were saying it right, so I wrote “Wasted.” I recorded it that night, as fast I possibly could (which is why the production is so raw), so that I could send it off before it was the time I knew she went to bed. That was the only purpose that song had – I wasn’t thinking of the band, radio etc. at all. A few months later when the band and some of the team heard it we decided it was the kind of song people might need and that it would be the single. The original version I recorded that night, vocals and all, is the version that we’re about to release.

What should fans—both new and old—be most excited about with “Wasted”?

They can be excited about the fact that there’s a lot more where “Wasted” came from. Every song that’ll be coming after this one was written from the same place.

Do you have any shows lined up before or after the release?

We have a few promotional shows lined up. We want to make sure that if we’re doing shows they’re done in a way that goes the extra mile for the fans. For example, instead of just throwing a “release party”, which is usually just a way to promote the single, show industry contacts the release is supposed to be a big deal, and make extra money – I’d rather invite fans to an exclusive listening party at the studio before the single is even out and present the song to them in a memorable way, even if we lose money.

For those who aren’t familiar with you, seeing that you’re signed to the management team behind the Barenaked Ladies. What’s the story behind being signed?

We worked with another manager first, Glen Willows, from when we were 14 to 21. He helped develop us and taught us a lot about the music industry at a really young age. Once “Bad Word” was out and there was less to develop and more to manage we felt like the appropriate time to expand the team.

What are Panicland’s plans for 2018/19? Are plans to go in to record already set, or is the main focus expected to be on writing or live shows?

We’re actually recording the album that will come out after this album right now. The plan for 2018 is to release as much music as possible, in creative ways. There is the old industry model for releasing music (starting an album cycle with a single, going to radio, touring the single, waiting for certain holidays to end like Christmas etc., releasing a 2nd single, releasing the full album etc.) and then there is the new model. People consume music in 2018 differently than they did in 2015. Music is more of a gateway to culture now and it’s important to us that we “hack” into culture with our music. For example, how hip would it be to release a Queen-style song just as the new “Bohemian Rhapsody” movie is coming out? Then have a popular Soundcloud rapper rap the 2nd verse, allowing the song to tap into hip-hop culture (the #1 music-culture in 2018), also allowing the song to show up on the rapper’s Spotify page, driving their fans to hear us. One could say “won’t rock fans hate hearing mumble-rap on a rock song and vice versa?” I would say most kids in 2018 that have Lil Pump on their phones will also have Aerosmith, Green Day and Britney Spears – you can see stats online that will reflect this. Spotify has created a post-genre industry where the lines between genres are blurred/non-existent – how do you think “Meant to Be” by Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha were possible? It’s the perfect time in music to release songs that are mini-events/spectacles and we want to take advantage of this!

Finally, any last words for your listeners and anything you’d like them to know about?

Firstly, if you read that full answer above, I am impressed. Secondly, I truly can’t wait for you to hear the new songs and I’m not just saying that because it’s the right thing to end an interview with. Thank you for sticking with us for so long! - Canadian Beats

“Songs are almost like souvenirs of people’s lives,” explains twenty-three-year-old, Braedon Horbacio, lead singer, songwriter, and producer of Panicland.

The Winnipeg-based band, who’ve been performing since their pre-teens, have spent the last few years skillfully building a brand that centers around music as a form of souvenirs. Horbacio and his bandmates Riley Horbacio (guitar), Travis Hunnie (drums), and Ian Willmer (bass) wear vintage souvenir jackets, they record at Horbacio’s home studio, nicknamed the Souvenir Shop, and they plan on releasing music under their own record label, Souvenir Records.

The band’s latest single, “Wasted”, is a heartfelt track that traces the highs and lows of a relationship. It’s noticeably different from Panicland’s previous singles, like 2016’s “Bad Word”, which reached #26 on the Billboard Top 40 Canadian Singles Chart in 2016.

“I started recording songs on the side for my own personal enjoyment,” says Braedon on the line from Winnipeg. “[I was] pretending to be in a completely different band, an alter ego band called The Janes. [I wrote] songs that I didn’t think other people would like, but songs that I liked, and that’s where a lot of our best songs came from.”

“Wasted” was initially written for only one person to hear. Braedon was making a mixed tape but couldn’t find a song that expressed how he felt, so he wrote one. He recorded the song in less than an hour, sent it, and moved on. Months later the band heard “Wasted” and loved it. Panicland decided to release the original demo from that night. Listen to “Wasted” below. - Pop Counter Culture

Winnipeg pop band Panicland just released their newest single “Wasted” last week as a follow-up to their Souvenir debut song, “Bad Word.” The band will be coming to Winnipeg to play at the Garrick Centre Oct. 23.

Lead singer and guitarist Braedon Horbacio, guitarist Riley Horbacio, bassist Ian Willmer and drummer Travis Hunnie met while taking music lessons, and unified their musical forces to form Panicland in 2007. Each member was around 12 years old at the time.

Travelling across Canada during a five-month high school tour, the band built a strong Canadian following and reached number 26 on the Billboard Top 40 Canadian Singles Chart with their hit song “Bad Word.”

All of their songs are written by lead singer Braedon Horbacio in his home studio, called the Souvenir Shop. “Wasted” was written and produced by Horbacio during a midnight session, then sent out to other band members right after to see what they thought of the song.

“Wasted” differentiates Panicland from the general pop scene by bringing forward an eclectic sound that crosses both pop and rock. This sound fits perfectly with the look of the band, enhancing their style choices and retro dress.

The track brings up youthful heartbreak, set in a present-day discord of love and longing. It starts out slow, with Horbacio’s voice setting the mood as listeners hear his boyish tone that helps narrate the story of young romance, while the keyboard plays in the background. The chorus strikes out to the listener as the rest of the voices mingle with Horbacio’s to provide different levels of the octave, in a gospel-like tone.

As the song moves into the next verse, the tempo slows, and the listener can imagine themselves being stuck in a choice between their own self-worth and that of a possible significant other. The song closes with a ringing organ in the background.

Overall the song is definitely a tune that listeners can relate to and enjoy hearing continually and repeatedly. - The Manitoban

Panicland consists of, Braedon Horbacio (lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter), Riley Basseo (guitarist), Ian Willmer (bassist) and Travis Hunnie (drummer). As independent artists, through determination and hard work Panicland have managed to create an incredible buzz surrounding their career and have signed to the management team behind the Bare Naked Ladies.

Currently in the studio recording songs co-written by David “DQ” Quiñones (Beyoncé, Enrique Iglesias), Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Metric), and many more writers in LA, Nashville and Toronto, the band is currently hard at work on their debut album.”

We had the opportunity to chat with lead vocalist Braedon Horbacio and discuss Panicland’s new single, songwriting, and role models.

Kat: Could you talk about the inspiration behind your new single ‘Wasted’?

B.H: I recorded “Wasted” in the middle of the night one night in about an hour. I didn’t actually mean for anyone to hear it except for the person I wrote it for, which was an ex-girlfriend. At first I made her a mixtape of songs by other artists to say what I wanted to say but none of the songs were saying it right, so I wrote this song instead. I wasn’t thinking of the band, radio, fans… nothing except the situation I was in. Then about a year later we thought that is the kind of song people might need. The original version I recorded that night, vocals and all, is the version that we released.

Kat: Could you talk about the songwriting process, and you create together as a group?

B.H: Writing has always been my main interest and I feel like I’m in a band because I write songs, instead of writing songs because I’m in a band. I have a studio at my house called “The Souvenir Shop” that I record in every night. I usually start songs with the intent of no one hearing it. When I listen to the radio I’m listening for which kind of songs aren’t getting played, instead of the kind that are – those are the kind of songs I want to hear, so those the kind of songs I try to write; songs that I think people might really need, not songs that are just a reason for us to further our career. - Harlton Empire

Winnipeg-based pop band Panicland is back with their brand new single “Wasted”, and to celebrate they curated an exclusive “Sad Songs that Make Me Happy” Spotify playlist. Check it out below!

Johnny Cash – Hurt

This is one of those rare, rare songs where only this specific artist could pull it off and, ironically, it’s a cover. Hearing someone at the end of their life sing about regret is pretty scary/eye-opening. You know how relieved you feel when you wake up from a nightmare? That’s what I feel when this song ends. The dry/upfront production and intense low piano inspired the mood of our single, “Wasted”.

Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry

Out of all these songs I find this one the saddest. I always ask people “Do you like ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’?” – when they answer ‘nope’ I ask them if they’ve ever laid down in the dark and listened to it start to finish. If anyone reading this has never done this (it would honestly be weird if you have), I strongly suggest it.

Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes

To me this song sounds lonely/desperate. Imagine someone getting all dressed up for their birthday party that they’ve been looking forward to for weeks – they walk downstairs and see that nobody showed up. That’s how this song feels.

KISS – Beth

KISS is incredibly underrated musically. Lots of sad songs centred around some sort of conflict. In this song it at first sounds like he’s conflicted about whether he should choose making music over a girl, but when you listen a few times you realize he’s not conflicted at all – he’s just trying to explain his choice in the nicest way possible. And musically it sounds like a darker version of something off the “Sgt. Peppers” album.

The Eagles – Desperado

This song is like a wise old man that appears out of nowhere and gives you great advices – then you realize it was just your imagination. I’m listening to it as a write this and it makes me physically sick because of how good it is.

Kermit the Frog – Rainbow Connection

The banjo chords at the beginning are the saddest moments in this whole list. I still can’t figure out what it is about this song that’s so sad – it’s not nostalgia because I’ve never really seen The Muppets. I think it has something to do with hearing a fictional character that represents childhood innocence sing about his future being unknown. Still have to think about this one!

Creed – My Sacrifice

I just wanted to throw in a little dad-rock here as an intermission. I love songs that aren’t religious songs but use religious imagery to intensify whatever emotion is coming across. This has been one of my favourite songs for the past little while.

John Lennon – Stand By Me

To me, like with Bette Davis, this song sounds desperate. The chord progression is a classic 50’s progression we’ve all heard a million times, which implies this desperate emotion is rooted in a place of nostalgia. It’s like he’s begging for someone from his childhood he knows he’ll never see again – or something he knows is unattainable but for the 3 minutes of this song it doesfeel attainable. Of course this is cover of a song written during a time when that progression was hip, so I’m sure that wasn’t his intent – just how it feels.

Bruce Springsteen – Hungry Heart

I like the combination of the mid-60’s Motown-style production, which implies a carefree youthfulness, and the jaded-ness of the lyrics. It takes the Motown mood of “I’m young and carefree, ready to take on the world!” and mixes that with “I don’t like where I’m at in life”, which becomes a reeeeally enjoyable bandaid. It’s very cool to hear that angle in pop music. This was usually the role of country music in the 70’s. Pop music was usually directed at young people who dealt with their issues through music that painted a phantasy picture of where they want to be in life, the same way hip-hop does today. Country music was directed at an older demographic who dealt with their problems through music that helped them face their problems directly but from the most appealing angle possible. This is where the working class anthem comes from.

Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere

I think this was intended to be a happy song but I don’t find it is. The chords at the beginning and the long, airy hiss effects make me see lots of grey and clouds. To me that implies that this song is more of a dream that contrasts a less care-free, innocent reality. These aren’t things that I actually think about when I’m listening – I feel/see these things first and then for fun try to break down what is making me feel that way. - Aesthetic Magazine