There’s something almost mythic about pressing play on Ping Machines’ “From 1 2 Another” and feeling how little it cares about the calendar. Released with a tongue-in-cheek timestamp of January 1st, 1970, the track feels like a deliberate provocation—a statement that raw rock energy doesn’t age, but waits for the right ears. From the opening seconds, the song crashes in with unapologetic intent, announcing itself through thick, gritty guitar tones and a rhythm section that hits with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who they are. This isn’t polished radio rock or carefully manicured nostalgia, but a dirt rock in its purest sense, alive with sweat, friction, and momentum.
At the core of “From 1 2 Another” is the unmistakable chemistry of five musicians locked into the same pulse. Pat Dollinger’s drumming drives the track with a pounding, almost primal force—steady, muscular, and relentlessly forward-moving. Beneath that, Alex Schrutt’s bass doesn’t simply follow the guitars, but growls alongside them, thickening the groove and giving the song its grounded weight. Marc Monnin and Fabian Mettler’s twin-guitar attack is where the song truly flexes its identity, blending stoner rock heaviness with blues-soaked grit and flashes of punk urgency. The riffs feel lived-in rather than rehearsed, as if they’ve been dragged through rehearsal rooms and smoke-filled basements before landing here fully formed. That sense of physicality makes the track feel less like a recording and more like a live wire.
Vocally, Benissa Schmidig delivers a performance that balances grit with conviction. There’s no unnecessary ornamentation or forced theatrics—just a raw, commanding presence that cuts through the dense instrumentation. Her voice feels like an extension of the band’s philosophy: honest, unfiltered, and emotionally direct. The lyrics and delivery combine to create a sense of movement and progression, fitting the track’s title perfectly. “From 1 2 Another” feels like a song about momentum—about pushing forward from one moment, one state, one fight to the next. That restless energy is what keeps the track gripping; it never settles into complacency, always urging itself onward with a sense of urgency that feels timeless rather than dated.
Listening to “From 1 2 Another” today, especially with the distance of decades implied between its fictional release date and the present, only reinforces how enduring Ping Machines’ sound really is. Their blend of stoner rock, blues, and punk doesn’t chase trends—it sidesteps them entirely. This is music built on instinct, volume, and shared sweat, the kind of rock that thrives in small clubs and loud rooms rather than algorithms. The track stands as a testament to the band’s commitment to authenticity, a reminder that honest rock doesn’t need reinvention to stay relevant. Ping Machines don’t sound like they’re trying to outpace time; instead, they sound like they’ve learned how to ignore it altogether. “From 1 2 Another” roars on as proof that when passion, grit, and chemistry collide, the result doesn’t expire, but keeps hitting harder with every listen.
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