Pengshui

Pengshui don’t care much for genre barriers.

Since forming in 2018 with the introductory single ‘CONTROL’, PENGSHUi have released 2 LP’s (the self titled Pensghui and 2022’s ‘Destroy Yourself’) and three EP’s with the latest being EP iii released in March 24.

One of Pengshui’s first big moments was winning the Kerrang! Radio Finding Fresh Blood competition which gained them a slot at Download Festival which they then played again in 2022. Having also bagged multiple appearances at Glastonbury, Boomtown Festival, Bloodstock, Colours of Ostrava, Pohoda, 2000 Trees and many more.

Pengshui were also to asked to remix 2 tracks for The Prodigy by Liam himself which include a blistering rework of ‘Light Up The Sky’ and ‘Omen’ which always ignites a crowd whenever they play them live.

Fittingly for a trio whose music unites sounds from two different cultures, Pengshui themselves are made up of members from different backgrounds.

Fatty grew up in Blackpool and picked up guitar aged 7, before moving to Leeds to study jazz. From there
he formed the Ninja Tune-signed Submotion Orchestra before session work playing with grime duoNewham Generals and P Money tipped his love for bass music into overdrive. “I was just so into thatchaos. It was a really exciting scene.”

Illaman’s story, meanwhile, began in London’s Queen’s Park. “My grandad is a Jamaican man who raised
me on music from a baby. In nan and grandad’s house, where I spent most of my youth, I just remember
the smell of weed, the sound of slamming dominos and these heavy reggae bass lines,” says the MC. “I
grew up on a council estate where I was always around music: my cousin was a garage DJ who’d invite
me to pirate radio with him. I had rude boy mates and skater mates with grunger chains and Blue Bolt
jeans, and loved music from both those worlds.” His first band, Flict, combined elements of both and
lasted for nine years, supporting Skindred and working with Cypress Hill members.

“We wanna take it as far as it can go, write fucking bangers and play big stages,” says Dave. For and for
him there is one deep, personal ambition he wants to fulfil. “The guitarist in my old band passed away.
We always used to talk about how crazy it’d be to play in front of 25,000 people. When he died, I decided
I would love to honour his memory by playing to as many big audiences as possible,” he says.

After all, this is a band who crash through barriers. “We’ve all wanted to do a band like this for 10 years,”says Illaman. Now they’re doing it, expect them to rip down any barrier in their way.

Pengshui have just finished recording their 3rd studio record and have some big plans for what’s next tocome.