Sam Gellanitry - Escapism III EP

Sam Gellanitry
Escapism III EP
2017
Spotify

Over the Escapism project Gellanitry has proven himself and adept writer in the Soundscape/Trap genre. It's hard to even imagine those two types of music ever coming together to form something cohesive, but Gellanitry makes the idea a reality. The records opener "Jungle Waters" takes you on this winding journey that almost opens like a kids movie complete with beautiful strings and high minded ideas about music. Escapism III and the project as a whole is of course about getting away, but it is about fleeing to somewhere beautiful, interesting and new. Each song spills into the next keeping a really unified narrative. "Ceremony" dives deeper into the dance/trap side of things with plenty of clicks and drops to warble through. The sounds are glitchy but the song never feels forced or too aggressively electronic, somehow it manages to keep this really great natural flow. "Midnight Racer" which almost crosses into vaporwave territory manages to pull itself out of that genre by shifting into this really bright electronica which is simply invigorating. You would expect a three EP project like this to either be far to disjointed to really come together but Gellanitry has managed to make each piece unique enough to stand on it's own but also in line with the rest of the production to give it this unified feel. You also have to recognize the balls it took to take on a three EP project as your first release, and doing it all on your own, really impressive stuff.

There are some moments where you can catch a slight Odesza vibe like on "Acres" but without the collaboration. There are no features on Escapism III which seems like an odd choice when you can imagine how much a great vocal might set these songs off, but it's actually the right choice. Without real lyrics you are able to really go on the journey with Gellanitry rather than having some kind of narrative thrust upon you. It becomes are more fluid and changing experience rather than one grounded in lyrical stone. This breathing sensation is tantamount to the final track "Ever After" as it slowly but surely slinks it's way into infinity. Though the EP does sort of fizzle out towards the end leaving this sort of grand experiment feeling unfinished. However Gellanitry is really doing something here and pushing the boundaries of what a soundscape can be as well as what mainstream dance can as well. It's a great little EP and one worth a listen.

7.9 out of 10