Voluptuous Panic

{{Short description|American rock band}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Voluptuous Panic

| image =

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| alt =

| caption = Voluptuous Panic in June 2016. From left: Brian J. Bowe and Gretchen DeVault

| origin = Grand Rapids, Michigan

| genre = {{flatlist|

• Shoegazing
• dream pop
• post-punk}}

| years_active = {{Start date|2013}}–present

| label = {{flatlist|

• Danish Crisis
• The Blog That Celebrates Itself Records

}}

| website = {{URL|http://voluptuouspanicmusic.com|voluptuouspanicmusic.com}}

| current_members = *Brian J. Bowe

• Gretchen DeVault

}}

Voluptuous Panic is an American indie rock duo founded in 2013 by Gretchen DeVault, who is the primary singer and songwriter in the prominent indie-pop group The Icicles,{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-icicles-mn0001419755/biography|title=The Icicles - Biography & History - AllMusic|website=AllMusic |publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://vonpipmusicalexpress.wordpress.com/2007/10/13/nice-nice-baby-the-icicles-interview/|title="Ice, Ice Baby!" – The Icicles Interview|last=Andy Von Pip|date=13 October 2007|publisher=}} and music journalist/author Brian J. Bowe.{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/mar/10/20050310-101609-8394r/|title=Creem stirs|website=The Washington Times |publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/06/rockin_rollin_with_writermusic.html|title=Profile: Rockin' & rollin' with writer/musician/cyclist Brian J. Bowe|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hollandsentinel.com/x126897249/COLUMN-Thank-you-Brian-Bowe|title=COLUMN - Thank you, Brian Bowe|first=Jim|last=Hayden|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hollandsentinel.com/article/20090415/news/304159826|title=Laketown author debuts book in 'Rebels of Rock' series|first=Jim|last=Hayden|publisher=}} The duo’s music has been described as hypnotic, textured and dreamy, mixing elements of shoegaze, dream pop and trip-hop.{{cite web|url=http://theblogthatcelebratesitself.blogspot.com/2015/10/midnight-chrome-with-voluptuous-panic.html|title=The Blog That Celebrates Itself: Midnight Chrome with Voluptuous Panic - An Interview|last=Tbtci|date=7 January 2017|publisher=}}

Bowe and DeVault met in 2008 when he wrote a cover story chronicling the Icicles' success in the indie pop world—including placements in international commercials for Target Corporation and Motorola{{cite web|url=http://blog.mlive.com/goinggonzo/2007/09/the_icicles_on_target.html|title=The Icicles on Target|publisher=}}—for the alumni magazine of their shared alma mater, Grand Valley State University.{{cite web|url=http://cdm16015.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15068coll6/id/545|title=Grand Valley Magazine, 2008 (Spring) :: GV Magazine|publisher=}} The pair stayed in touch and began collaborating. In 2010, they recorded Bowe's score for the film "The Death of an Imam",{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1905039/|title=The Death of an Imam|date=1 December 2010|publisher=|via=IMDb}}{{cite web|url=http://www.muslimsubjects.org/deathofanimam/about-2/|title=Death of An Imam » Credits|publisher=}} which was nominated for a regional Emmy{{cite web|url=https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/2011/two-grand-valley-faculty-members-films-nominated-for-emmy-awards-5702.htm|title=Two Grand Valley faculty member's films nominated for Emmy Awards - GVNow - Grand Valley State University|publisher=}} and won the Best of Festival Award at the Broadcast Education Association's Festival of Media Arts.{{cite web|url=http://www.beaweb.org/wp/?p=408|title=The Broadcast Education Association Announces the 2011 Winners of BEA Best of Festival King Foundation Awards Ceremony - BEA - The Broadcast Education Association|publisher=}}

Following the release of the Icicles’ dark “Renegade Parade” album, DeVault found she needed an outlet for the more melancholic side of her writing—particularly after her struggle with postpartum depression.{{cite web|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/indie_pop_icicles_return_from_dark_journey_of_infertility_and_postpartum_depression/prweb12735512.htm|title=Indie-pop Icicles Return from Dark Journey of Infertility and Postpartum Depression|publisher=}} During that period, Bowe was living in France and teaching at CELSA Paris. He began sharing song ideas with the Michigan-based DeVault remotely. This process of recording separately is one the group retains. In an interview, Bowe called the remote recording process one of Voluptuous Panic’s defining characteristics. “It’s a slow conversation, but it allows us to access deep emotional spaces that might not be possible in a room with a lot of other people,” he said.

The group adopted the name Voluptuous Panic in 2013, after Bowe came upon the phrase in the book "Frame Analysis" by sociologist Erving Goffman while conducting Ph.D. research.

Starting in 2014, Voluptuous Panic began releasing a series of singles.{{cite web|url=http://musichronic.weebly.com/review/voluptuous-panic-fall-away|title=Voluptuous Panic - Fall Away|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://revuewm.com/music/item/2484-track-of-the-week-polar-vortex-by-voluptuous-panic|title=TRACK OF THE WEEK: "Polar Vortex" by Voluptuous Panic|first=Jayson|last=Bussa|publisher=}} The group earned notice as “one of the most stylish guitar bands to emerge on the shoegaze scene” {{cite web|url=http://www.nugazer.com/2014/03/voluptuous-panic-fall-away.html|title=Voluptuous Panic - Fall Away|publisher=}} and has drawn frequent comparisons to Slowdive, which the group cites as an influence.{{cite web|url=http://oyeminoize.blogspot.com/2014_04_01_archive.html|title=I ♥ Shoegaze -- April I|first=Oyèmi|last=Noize|date=1 April 2014|publisher=}}

In 2015, they collaborated with French electronic musician Human Koala on the song “Zyva,” which combined psychedelic guitars with modular synthesizers and drum machine beats.{{cite web|url=http://primalmusicblog.com/music/new-music-premier-voluptuous-panic-w-human-koala-zyva/|title=NEW MUSIC PREMIERE - Voluptuous Panic w/ Human Koala - Zyva • Primal Music blog|date=16 July 2015|publisher=}}

In 2016, Voluptuous Panic released an EP titled “Une Sorte de Panique Voluptueuse,” which was a remixed collection of its earliest demos.{{cite web|url=http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=855419532e5289d8e6ce64416&id=7283129687|title=Voluptuous Panic explores emotional, sonic textures on debut EP|publisher=}} The group also appeared on the compilation “Big Day Coming,” a tribute to the band Yo La Tengo.{{cite web|url=https://theblogthatcelebratesitself.bandcamp.com/album/big-day-coming-a-tribute-to-yo-la-tengo|title=Big Day Coming, A Tribute to Yo La Tengo, by The Blog That Celebrates Itself Records|publisher=}}

Voluptuous Panic rarely performs live. For a few shows in 2013, the group was augmented by a rock rhythm section that included bassist Niel Carlson and Icicles drummer Zane DeVault; in 2014, they performed with Icicles keyboardist Joleen Rumsey.{{cite web|url=https://trumbullplex.org/category/shows/page/20/|title=Shows! - TRUMBULLPLEX - Page 20|publisher=}}