Sonstiges:
Esoteric melodies collide with moody beats and a dynamic flow in GLU; the solo
project from Michael Shuman (Queens Of The Stone Age, Mini Mansions). With
no major concentration of genre aside from melding them, Shuman unravels
ribbons ofrhyme and musicianship that are introspective and engaging. The EP
entitled MY DEMONS released early 2023. “For me, the project was about being
on my own terms; having my own momentum,” explains Shuman. “Musically, I
wanted to do something that was challenging and something that scared me. I
usually start out writing riffs but for GLU I had to write a lot of lyrics. Sitting on a
computer, starting with a beat and using synthesizers and keyboards opened up
so many new possibilities. This is something that is different because I do come
from punk rock, but I’m doing this… so it’s not going to sound like your typical DJ
or Hip-Hop producer. I want it to feel fresh, and that’s the most exciting thing for
me.”
The back and forth of Shuman’s soft, ariose soundscapes lead way to catchy
lyrics touching on subjects of struggle, loss, addiction, and trauma, hence; MY
DEMONS. Emotional explosions emerge in a realm of calm hip hop with upbeat,
poppy moments. “A lot of this is me speaking as an adult now, but it’s talking
about me as a child. I’m at an age where I don’t care as much about masking
things, lyrically.” With guest vocalist Sarah Barthel (vocalist of Phantogram)
lending a soothing voice to the self-titled intro, the well rounded tone of the EP lays out a curious, sonic fantasy. “I like the idea of different voices coming in and
Sarah is a real singer,” states Shuman. “She can do anything and it sounds great.
She was really helpful in elevating these songs.” Mixed by Adam Thane and
mastered by Dale Becker.
The first single of 2025 “BOOGIE MAN”, is an infectious genre bending power
track that chronologies the feeling of losing yourself in the moment, and not
having any outside worries or anxieties about who may be watching or what they
may think. Akin to artists like Jamiroquai, Gorillaz, and Mac Miller.
GLU has had the chance to play these songs live on tours with Phantogram, The
Blue Stones, Miles Kane and Blood Red Shoes. „Boogie Man is a dance song
about stepping outside yourself, letting loose, and not taking yourself too
seriously. Life is short…. Who cares about what others think.” says Shuman.
The track was selected for a sync placement on the latest instalment of the beloved video game series MLB The Show ‘25 and features alongside artists including Kendrick Lamar, De La Soul and COIN.
Riding the momentum into Spring & Summer 2025, GLU took Boogie Man to clubs and venues across the UK and USA, selling out release shows in London, Chicago & Los Angeles.
Heading into 2026 Shumans team expands, GLU inks a recording deal with FLG
(Skunk Anansie, Corella, As It Is) and celebrates this by releasing a cover version
of the classic 90’s hit ‘Crush’ by Jennifer Paige.
‘Looking for the right cover song is an interesting task.’ Says Shuman ‘You are
searching for a song, which inherently is so deeply personal to the person who
wrote it, yet it has to connect with you enough to try and make it your own. Not
so much musically, but lyrically. The music side is the fun part, where you augment it to a completely different landscape, giving a totally different perspective to the original. Crush is an amazing pop song written by Jennifer Paige, but was produced at a time where I don’t think it got its due. That being said it was a huge hit that most of the world knows well. I think that’s the other factor in choosing, so that when you play live to an audience who may not know your material, there’s that one song in the set they already are a fan of.’
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