Pepous People’s Banshee Is A Fuzzy, Ferocious Debut That Screams From The Gut

You know that feeling when a new band drops an album and it instantly feels like they’ve been lurking in your subconscious, scribbling down your late-night thoughts and turning them into guitar riffs? That’s the vibe with Banshee, the debut album from Brazilian rock outfit Pepous People. It’s loud, it’s messy, it’s weirdly beautiful, and it’s got a hell of a backstory. The band started out jamming in garages and adopted their name from a stray kitten they befriended during the recording process. That DIY spirit runs deep through the album, but don’t mistake it for lack of vision. Banshee is tight, deliberate and full of character.

From the jump, it’s clear Pepous People aren’t trying to chase trends or radio play. They’re doing their own thing, blending psychedelic rock, post-punk, bluesy grooves and even some jazzy improvisation into something that feels both nostalgic and fresh. There’s this constant push and pull between control and chaos, like the songs are about to fall apart but always manage to pull you in tighter. The drums sound massive. The vintage keys and spacey effects make everything swirl. The guitars rip, fuzz and punch through the mix in all the right places.

Lyrically, Banshee hits hard in unexpected ways. These songs feel like journal entries scrawled during an existential crisis and then set to fire. Take the lead single “Cheater” for example. It's got a groove that makes you want to stomp around the room, and the lyrics are gripping: “I lost my keys, can't start my car… I admit, I am a cheater.” That energy carries through the whole album. You’ll get moments of introspection, frustration, humour and heartbreak, sometimes all within the same song.

There’s also something really immersive about how the band recorded this. Produced by Leonardo Marques (who’s got a Latin Grammy under his belt), the album was tracked using analog gear like a Binson Echorec and a Vistalite drum kit, which gives the whole thing a warm, retro vibe. But it never feels like they’re just trying to sound vintage for the sake of it. The production choices actually add to the emotion. Songs don’t just sound good – they feel lived-in and real.

If you’re into albums that let you sit with your feelings and scream a little without needing to have it all figured out, Banshee will hit the spot. Pepous People have arrived with a record that feels like it was made in a pressure cooker of emotion and then let loose into the world, unapologetically raw and full of life. Whether you're here for the fuzzy guitars, the cathartic lyrics, or the vibe of a band finding themselves in real time, this album deserves your ears.