I’m the Villain: Dream-Pop Nostalgia and Shoegaze Emotion from Salerno to the World
In the quiet of lockdown was born, I’m the Villain, a dreamlike project by Salerno based musician Gianmario Galano that transforms solitude into shimmering sound.
Between Dream-Pop and Cinematic Emotion
Blending Dream-Pop, Shoegaze and touches of cinematic melancholy, his debut album This Joyful Nostalgia captures the feeling of modern nostalgia, a reflection on memories that still glow in reverb and light.
Behind the name stands Gianmario Galano, an artist who has turned introspection and isolation into pure sonic poetry.
Born during the 2020 lockdown, the project grew from a simple setup, a guitar, a computer and a vision.
Out of that simplicity came something luminous: a soundtrack for moments of stillness that live between past and future.
Influenced by the delicate textures of Dream-Pop, the introspective haze of Shoegaze and the rhythmic pulse of Synth-Pop, Galano creates music that feels both ethereal and deeply human.
His debut EP, To Eat Yourself (2022), released by Shoredive Records (UK), introduced a sound suspended between shadow and light, a place where memories echo like reverb-soaked guitars and emotions breathe through every delay and distortion.
This Joyful Nostalgia: A New Chapter
Between 2023 and 2024, I’m the Villain entered a new creative phase.
The result is his first full-length album, This Joyful Nostalgia, out in October 2025, via Sputnik Music Group and Shoredive Records.
The album’s title captures his world perfectly: melancholic joy that looks backward while dreaming forward.
Publications such as Rockit, Deserto Sonoro, Musictraks, and ParanoidPark have praised the project’s ability to unite past and present sounds, crafting what many describe as “a cinematic experience in sound.”
Listeners often say his music brings calm and reflection, a space where emotion and serenity coexist.
From Studio to Stage
Since spring 2024, I’m the Villain has brought his vision to the stage, performing both solo in semi-acoustic form and with a four piece band.
Each concert becomes a journey through fragility and intensity, blending intimacy with grandeur.
His live shows feel alive, expanding, breathing and evolving with every note.
A Voice in the New Dream-Pop Landscape
The Italian and international press have embraced I’m the Villain as one of the most promising voices in the new Dream-Pop and Shoegaze scene.
His music resonates for its nostalgic beauty, emotional depth, and cinematic quality, offering a sound that soothes as much as it inspires.
Press Highlights
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