- Most of NON's records come with a theme or concept. Past releases have explored the reclamation of whitewashed tango music and the experience of traveling through Western airports as a person of colour. Inmate deals with NON's most harrowing subject matter yet. The debut EP from Mya Gomez is based on her experience at England's Immigration Removal Centres, where people are held before they're deported from the UK. These institutions are relatively new, privatized and have been the subject of various scandals about living conditions and abuse. It's not a situation most people would ever expect to find themselves in, but that's what makes Inmate—and NON as a whole—so interesting. Using the familiar lexicon of dance music, it shares stories and perspectives that might otherwise go unheard.
Inmate tells its tale as well as any concept album. (It comes with detailed notes explaining each track, which doesn't hurt.) Gomez's productions align with modern club music—a little grime here, a little trap there—and emphasize space and tension. "Spanto" is the EP's most melodramatic fare, full of harsh screams and icy rhythms that add to the unease. "Ex-Narcissist" is said to chronicle the feeling of solidarity with fellow inmates, and it sounds dazed, like realizing you're part of something big that you have no control over. "CCTV"'s hollow drums and chime melodies capture the eeriness of knowing you're being watched.
Inmate's most brutal moment comes at the end. "Released" is a straightforward portrayal of relief, but something lurks underneath its stirring, resolute melody. A high-pitched whine nags in the background, disturbing the peace that might have otherwise been. It's a potent device, illustrating how traumatic events leave their mark long after they end, even if you can't see those marks on the surface.
Tracklist01. Spanto
02. CCTV
03. Ex-Narcissist
04. Released