Synth maestro Panoram released an irreverent track, ‘What It Means,’ on the Running Back label. With over a million streams across various platforms, Panoram has built a dedicated following within the global IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) community over the last decade. His experimental compositions, which blend IDM, library music, and classical minimalism, have caught the attention of influential outlets like Pitchfork, The Ransom Note, and The Vinyl Factory. The Italian musician has also made waves on prominent platforms like NTS and Boiler Room, and has performed alongside legends like Kraftwerk and Gold Panda at Sònar Festival in Barcelona. Notably, Thom Yorke included one of Panoram’s tracks in a Sonos-curated playlist, further solidifying his status in the electronic music world.
Though Panoram’s true identity remains largely elusive, the artist behind the project, Raffaele Martirani, has an extensive career outside of this alias. Based in Rome, Martirani has also been involved with Amen Dunes for over a decade, performing at prestigious festivals such as Primavera Sound and Pitchfork Festival, as well as renowned venues like Koko in London and the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles. As Panoram, he has released music on labels like Firecracker and his own Wandering Eye, creating a unique sound that resists categorisation. His release, ‘What It Means,’ follows this tradition of eclectic experimentation, weaving elements of abstract pop, classical minimalism, and cyborg funk into a complex sonic amalgamation.
The track itself is a strange and introspective daydream, featuring a winding arpeggio, a shuffling beat, and disembodied vocal samples that evoke a sense of detachment. The refrain “On the other hand, I don’t always understand what it means” captures the track’s disorienting yet captivating nature, blending cerebral and playful elements in equal measure. Martirani explains that he recorded the track during a period of experimentation in a Brooklyn rehearsal space, where he became captivated by a bass synth sound that felt uncertain and disjointed. The vocals, which he describes as “dull” and “chasing” the listener throughout the track, were added later to create a sense of cognitive dissonance between the music and the words. Fans of IDM pioneers like Squarepusher and Aphex Twin will find plenty to admire in ‘What It Means,’ a track that will surely continue to draw listeners into Panoram’s unique world of sonic exploration.
Listen to ‘What It Means’ below:
Follow Panoram:
Bandcamp – Instagram – Facebook – X – Soundcloud – Youtube – Spotify
