Anjunabeats stalwart Graeme Shepherd, aka Grum, releases his fourth artist album, ‘Unreality’.
His most introspective work to date, “Unreality,” examines human connection in the digital era. The album is reflective, idea-driven, and song-heavy, holding a mirror to Graeme’s own emotional journey over the last two years. It is a story in two halves.
Since his debut LP, “Heartbeats,” Graeme’s music has a visceral quality. Grum was a product of the blog era, riding the heights of Hype Machine with his synth-heavy sound. It was a feel-good, get-up-and-dance record championed by Annie Mac and Pete Tong in the early 2010s. As he pivoted towards the dance floor, both his sound and the stories he wanted to tell became more daring.
His cover of the Tears For Fears classic, “Shout,” was a prog-house protest song that hinted at his upcoming 2019 album, “Deep State.” This underground epic has an undercurrent of discontent that is heard in songs like the hypnotic “Altered State,” the Depeche Mode-esque “Lose Control,” and the acid-tinged “Stay.” His own record label with the same name, which has grown steadily in recent years, was eventually born from “Deep State.”
On his new album Unreality‘, there’s an undeniable summer euphoria to ‘Don’t Look Down’ and ‘Taking Over Me’, written alongside regular collaborator Natalie Shay, a rising star of the U.K. indie-pop scene. Both songs with Sarah Appel, “Faded Memory” and “Come Alive,” are synth-heavy shots of adrenaline that capture the glossy optimism of 1980s pop in a punchy modern production.
Dom Youdan, another well-known voice, joins the group. After previously collaborating with Grum on Tomorrow and Invisible, it is clear that in “Be The Horizon” and “Virtual Companion” there is a desire for a more profound human connection. A techno-infused helter-skelter ride with Daniel Sealine’s vocal bursting out of the shadows, the lead single “Disconnected,” featuring Daniel Sealine, is intended for the deepest reaches of a club.
We end on a hopeful note with Graeme’s first vocal performance on a record, “Look To The Light,” and the reflective acceptance of “Our Cosmic Insignificance.”
The vinyl version of Grum’s “Unreality” is currently available for pre-order on the Anjuna Music Store. Phase one of Grum’s “Unreality” tour will begin this summer with 18 dates across North America, including performances in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, and other cities. In addition, Grum will make a stop at Above & Beyond’s Group Therapy Weekender London festival in September.
