“Frequently featured label Patetico Recordings returns to the DCW realm with a new collaborative effort Heliocentric Overdrive and their debut EP “Weightless.” Formed via DIY internet track sharing, drummer Anthony Gatta and singer-songwriter/guitarist Tom Lugo now share their melodic-pop tracks fueled by precise and frenetic interpretations. Lead off track “Reveling” builds out of a clarion ring guitar figure, before bass and drums quickly join in to set the rhythmic progression off into full motion. Vocals come on initially in an understated, effects free manner, offering a conversational style question “do you want to fly -do you want to touch the sky?” It's a song of delight and celebration, where you “make your move,” because “there's no room for doubt.” All vocals effects are reserved for the hook-chorus that rides a guitar-wave of speed-strummed melody while proclaiming having “had the time of my life.” It's straightforward pop for sure, with the drums”

“The fruits of the collaboration between Anthony Gatta and Tom Lugo are pleasant and noisy. The former works hard on drums, while the latter is an old acquaintance of ours here on IFB and puts all his shoegaze and indie-rock sagacity into it. The result is a tasty EP that is released under the name Heliocentric Overdrive. Obviously the rhythms are charged, important and solid but Tom takes his part to ensure that even the guitars and his vocal timbre emerge properly. The result is poised between sonic outbursts that never lose sight of the melody and a rhythmic roar that presses and always keeps us on the string, with that lo-fi taste that always hovers over our heads but does not spoil the final effect at all. . The duo proves to have what it takes even when there is no need to run with your head down, indeed, a song like "Everything" is really suggestive and built with abundance, because it seems to make us take a breath and then completely change the cards in table.”

“Under his Panophonic brand, Tom works as a solo artist (with only one single collab on the final track), writing everything, playing all guitars, bass, drum programming along with producing, mixing and mastering the tracks. Quite an impressive feat, even in these more accessible home-recording times. Opening track “Shine” comes out blazing, with razor-sharp slashing guitars, counterpoint bass melody and synthetic hissing high-hat percussion. Vocals are pitched low, reverberated and delivered in that William Reid style heard on early Jesus and Mary Chain recordings. After 45 seconds the chorus erupts with additional guitars layering over a sea of vocals creating the blissful sensation more aligned with the band Ride.”

"AWAKENING" opens with the distortions and the dark trend of "Shine" that could let us understand how Tom Lugo's journey will once again lead us on "dangerous" paths, instead with the passage of the songs this feeling seems to vanish, leaving the place for a more enveloping and melodic world. The first part of the disc is full of dreamy suggestions, soft scenarios that slide with agility into dream-pop, as if we were enjoying a reassuring vision.

“Founded by the multi-talented Tom Lugo, Philadelphia-located atmospheric and sweeping indie pop/indie rock outfit Panophonic is gearing up to release their new album Awakening on February 14th via Patetico Recordings. Created over the span of two years, and between Lugo’s other musical ventures (Stellarscope, Cielo Oceano, Dream Turn Black, much more), Awakening is a diverse mix of pop and rock tracks that move from delicately reflective, like Unhinged, which features Dani Mari, vibrantly dynamic and centered on shoegaze guitars.”

“This is a follow ep to their fantastic EP Sounds of Desolation. Although the arrangements vary per track and the approach evolves per release, you can always expect somber melodies and atmospheric synths from Panophonic. After all these are the things that make their sound unique.”

“Tom Lugo is a prolific artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is involved in a number of musical projects including Stellarscope, Panophonic, MAYU, Under the Wire, and others. His DIY approach is inspired by his love of punk and post-punk music. Tom was kind enough to answer my questions about his various projects, his inspirations for his various projects, and what’s coming next for bands such as Stellarscope.”

“El disco juega con una parte vocal que en algunos tema es un instrumento más a la hora de escucharlo y con sonidos que se puedan llevar directo, Pianos, sintes y ritmos mezclan, cambian y tejen el entramado de cada uno de los 10 temas. Un proyecto que no da respiros que se mete de forma irracional y que en cierta manera cuesta para quien no sabe lo que encontrará. El disco muestra las inquietudes de un músico, productor y sobre todo de un melómano que juega con estilos distintos como el noise, pubk, electrónica y rock para sacarnos del monótono sonido actual.”

“Quando pensi di aver capito tutto del disco di Panophonic, ti spiazza e ti coglie alle spalle. Un'escursione interessante e spesso sorprendente in un ambito musicale tutto sommato poco americano ma molto contemporaneo.”

“Endlessly is a gift from a heart of experience. Here, we witness the depths of pain and ecstasy that can only come from weathering any storms. Life is pain but somehow we must go on because our confessions are pillars of strengths that young hearts can rely on. Because in the end, music can be our anchor in the seas of uncertainty.”

“Tom Lugo who invites us to let go, not to compress the anger and does so with the weapons of the dream-pop, the one capable of becoming vaporous and dilated on the edge of the shoegaze, while the electronic rhythm never raises the tones that much. Our Tom is working on the sensations, with these hints mentioned and gentle (stands "I can not come home") or with the guitar that knows when it is time to recover before the breeze pushes us to drift.”

“Once tracks conforman este viaje adictivo llamado "Endlessly", en donde las guitarras forman un muro en el cuál se adaptan de manera impecable el resto de los sonidos (voces, bajos, teclados, baterías y otros sonidos). Todo parte de "Naughty Games" y las corrientes armónicas y caóticas de las guitarras nos van llevando en una travesía que nos induce a la velocidad, a la calma, al estruendoso estallido de guitarras entrelazadas entre sí, creando una trama que sirve como un mantra difuso pero que llena todo el espectro sonoro de vitalidad.”

“Panaphonic es uno más de los múltiples proyectos musicales que tiene Tom Lugo (ShiShi, Stellarscope, etc.), y justo hace unos días acaba de estrenar su más reciente álbum con su propio sello Patetico Recordings. Su título es Endlessly y se compone por un total de 11 tracks de ruido melódico como sabemos que les gusta, amigos shoegazers.”

“Subí el volumen que te presentamos a Panophonic 💣 #Endlessly es el nombre elegido para su nuevo trabajo. El mismo estará disponible de manera oficial el 13 de este mes. Mientras tanto, disfruta del adelanto exclusivo para #Argentina acá! 💣 (Patetico Recordings)”

“A longtime staple of Philadelphia’s indie rock scene, Tom Lugo’s dark, heartfelt yet edgy songs and productions are an intricate blend of Indie pop songwriting, Post-punk aesthetics, Shoegaze stylings, and Gothic tendencies.”

“Interview with Middle Tennessee Music: "In this interview spotlight, I chat with Patetico Recordings artist Panophonic about the latest album release (endlessly), challenges, motivations and more."”

“Interview with Noise Artist: "I've seen Tom Lugo around, so I thought I would have a look at who he is. Usually, you find people are in a band and that's about it, a few photos with their family maybe. When I saw that Tom was a musician AND had a label AND another band AND another band AND he's a black belt in martial arts AND another band etc... I began to take notice. What I found is a polite, considerate, helpful man with an appetite for art. Let me introduce you to Tom Lugo."”

"If you’re a fan of the Chain, and have plenty of time for other big names in the shoegaze genre such as Ride and My Bloody Valentine, you’re sure to fall endlessly in love with Panophonic’s latest offering" - Rory

“Panophonic’s live show is performance art. The music, lighting, and emotion Lugo throws into his performances display how passionate he is about his craft. If you’re a fan of electronic, shoegaze, dream-punk, etc, you’re going to love Panophonic.”

“The sumber beauty of Panophonic’s Failure in Many Dimensions reminds me of old Joy Division and Cure with that guitar and synth sound. There are six songs and the EP has a (in my opinion) a fantastic artwork.”

“De la mezcla entre la Electrónica, los ritmos programados y el Shoegaze sólo puede resultar algo positivo. Panophonic son algo así como los Dust Brothers del siglo XXI, con guitarras afiladas que se superponen a sus ritmos secuenciados. El ambiente que forman está cerca de algo así como un Chillwave-Electrónico o un Dream-Pop de guitarras. Por cierto, que Panophonic es el alias de Tom Lugo, cabeza visible de Patetico Recordings y líder de Stellarscope. Sea como fuere, su disco se acaba de editar este mes de Enero en Patetico Recordings, un netlabel especializado en sonidos cercanos al Shoegaze. El disco lo puedes oír en Stream y adquirirlo al precio que quieras pinchando en su Bandcamp. Yo les daría una oportunidad.”

“Responsible for causing mild flutters of the heart around these here parts since appearing on our radar, latest from the Tom Lugo / Panophonic sound desk is the forlorn softly bruised fuzz drenched anthem ‘endlessly’, swooned in swallow diving shimmer tones that sour like a crestfallen Chapterhouse, this hurt honey rises to the bliss kissed subdued and statuesque arc of Toy, always a good thing don’t you find.”

“before the hypnotic lure of the heavily studio sampled bliss bruised ‘loveless’, there was ‘isn’t anything’. Their debut full length was an exemplary fine tuning and a keynote bridge linking between their want for the craft of melodic noise and feedback laden shoegaze. We of course refer to My Bloody Valentine, the subject of a new covers appraisal by the very excellent the blog that celebrates itself entitled ‘forever and again’. There will be mentions aplenty for this over the weekend along with further thoughts on the labels quartet of releases that heralded the start of the New Year. For now though can we draw your listening affections to Panophonic’s sublime and faithful take on the classic ‘you made me realise’, a kick to the head, at once to the uninitiated it’s the sound of shambling friction and stuttering chaos, yet through the discordant haze of pedal effect skree emerges moments of rupturing effervescence, tranced out tripping turbulence and panic atta”

“newly peeled cut from Panophonic who you may recall we made mention of a week or so ago with reference to their MBV cover on that excellent the blog that celebrates itself’s latest Shields adoring compilation – apologies for being a tad lax but reviews are primed for soon happening. Anyhow this is the quite hymnally hued ‘I can’t go home’ here given a rather spiffing ‘beatastic’ makeover that finds it beautifully bleached in euphoria rupturing bliss bubbles all ghosted in star dust sprays of ethereal tones, swoon doesn’t really cover it. https://soundcloud.com/tomlugo/panophonic-i-cant-come-home-beatastic-remix”

“…grandiose music that fits easily into his heavily reverbed, spaced out vocal gestures”

“...the soundtrack to a breezy, lazy summer day with stars in your hair.”

“truly one breath of fresh air in the panorama rock clones”

“Panophonic takes on board electronic elements. His latest free, downloadable EP is one of his more modern-sounding records and is well worth a listen. ”

“Lugo veers off to even more otherworldly territory than Stellarscope. Singing entirely in Spanish (Lugo is of Puerto Rican descent), Lugo utilizes more electronics, drones and atmospherics on Alumbra, creating a haunting, mesmorizing, and at times mournful mood. ”