Ian Svenonius has long been one of the most intriguing figures in the firmament of underground rock, having led the groups Nation of Ulysses, the Make-Up, Weird War, and Chain & the Gang, among others. While Escape-Ism represents yet another vehicle for his unique talents, Svenonius has also declared it to be his first true solo project, in which he writes all the songs, handles all the vocals, and plays all the instruments. Dominated by lo-fi electronics, buzzy guitars, and coolly passionate vocals, Escape-Ism is also guided by his philosophical outlook, which for this project is framed by a rejection of nostalgia and an embrace of stylistic primitivism. Svenonius debuted Escape-Ism in 2017 with the album Introduction to Escape-Ism. ~ Mark Deming