Golden Donna / S/t

Not Not Fun

Madison’s insular lineage of long-form sonic reducers replenishes and mutates at an impressive clip, so it’s no surprise that the debut LP from one of the city’s freshest next-wave arc welders is a real treat.  The solo soundworld of instrumental synthesizer artisan Joel Shanahan, Golden Donna incorporates a drained rainbow of niche hues into its multiverse: epicly tranced sequencer constructs (“Shifter”), smooth-glide R&B solar flares (“Paulding Light”), glittering deep-space drift-symphonies (“Infinite Earths,” “Flashing Hands of Carousel”), etc. The effortless interplay between slick rhythm syrups (seriously, check out the session bass and moonlight yacht licks on “Paulding Light”) and more ambient-style body awareness float trips gives the record an awesomely woozy in-and-out-of-focus feel—a weightless, ghosting motion, like slow-coasting through clouds on codeine on a private jet. Grab a window seat, ’cause Golden Donna is ripe for repeat freefalls through its unearthly atmospheres.

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