gonima - Escapism (2023)

SERALP01: Satellite Era presents “Escapism” - a collection of archival tracks written in 2021-2023 by Evan Magoni, best known as gonima.

Over three years since the conception of our record label, we are proud to finally unveil our first full-length album - one that is truly held close to our hearts. It is only right that we welcome one of our biggest inspirations and dearest friends over the years for his inaugural solo release on the imprint.

Since our discovery of Montreal-based producer gonima a half-decade ago, we were certain that we wanted him to be part of what would eventually become Satellite Era. His sound felt incredibly familiar to us as connoisseurs of ambient and electronica, yet distinct enough to be easily identifiable. Fans of Telefon Tel Aviv, Lusine, Mr. Projectile, and other landmarks in this rustic realm will feel right at home. He effortlessly combines warm and emotive sounds from the early-2000s golden-age of in-home listening music with stuttering percussion frequently heard in glitch-centric subgenres. The byproduct of this, along with a splash of clever song arrangement and chord progression, is what gonima’s renowned formula consists of.

Shortly after two individual appearances on our Distant Arrays series, gonima began to develop a much larger project for us. This quickly turned into a group effort to create an organic, unapologetically lengthy body of work to share. Everything from the audio/visual pairing, to our decision of making CDs for the album is entirely motivated by how we imagined this project to feel like if we came across it while digging through the shelves of an eclectic record store.

With a clear nod to yesteryear’s wave of ambient and electronica, “Escapism” captures the essence of what made that era so pivotal, while enhancing its sound with modern elements and an effort to portray a storytelling experience. The album taps into duality with a contrast between clean, high-fidelity sounds and gritty low-end that is meant to elevate the listening experience through physicality. It is unafraid to recycle some of gonima’s signature production characteristics: uplifting songs drenched in lush, nostalgic tones that are occasionally met with the chaos of digitized drums. Avid fans of his discography will surely recognize his sonic presence in tracks like “Monostable” and “Imminence,” where saturated pads add a fuzzy coating of sound upon his typically pristine production. Each song feels multilayered, with hidden artifacts existing in between; it revives the curiosity of dusty electronics met with precision.

Although most of “Escapism” seems cohesive and builds off its centralized theme, there are a few instances that allow the listener to step away and appreciate a diverse sense of improvisation: the live guitar in “Turning,” the spaced-out vocals in “Sculpt3-spaces,” and the use of real drum breaks in “Inevitable State” all contribute to this feeling. These small moments are important in building lore, while also showcasing gonima’s newfound curiosity for stepping out of his established processes. As the album begins to decompress, we are met with a slower pace, more repetition, and the inevitable conclusion to a once expanding world. “Doors Of The Mind” utilizes an odd time signature to deliver moody melodic sequences met with shuffling drums. “Places, Things” sprinkles wholesome piano keys over a glitchy, low-tempo hip-hop beat. The outro of the album is a wind tunnel of ambiance that leaves it entirely open for interpretation.

“Escapism” can be best described as the love story between two foundational aspects of a human’s life: imagination and reality. It expresses the necessity of both sides to coincide peacefully, without relying on each other to function properly. It is unmeant to replace the challenges and ruggedness of reality; the beauty lies within its imperfections. Its immersion is amplified by a vessel of imagination only existing in this outlandish space. It leaves behind a meaningful relic of gonima’s best and most confident work to date.

What entices you to close your eyes? What healing sounds surround you in your dreams?

“Throughout my life, electronic music has always served as an escape from societal alienation and as a liberating force. As it does for many others, composing empowers me to express my inner experience through worldbuilding. The music itself is made up of my own encounters - the hidden beauty I see in my day-to-day and through other peoples’ art. Throughout my time, the giants of the electronica realm inspired me to create what I wanted to hear: Autechre, Boards of Canada, Plaid, and more recently, my peers and local community.” - gonima