Glüme – ‘Main Character’ album review: a cinematic mix of old and new
At first glance, you’d be mistaken in thinking an image of Glüme was Marilyn Monroe if she had been transported to 2014 and set up a Tumblr account. Mixing vintage Hollywood glamour with the aesthetics of a modern-day LA girl, Glüme’s strong visual style reflects her music perfectly, which, both sonically and lyrically, blends old and new. Although her debut album, 2021’s The Internet, features an avant-pop sound, often incorporating classical strings into the synth-laden soundscapes, her newest release, Main Character, goes multiple steps further.
On The Internet, Glüme explored her reliance on the online world as a means of escape from her chronic illness, Prinzmetal Angina. She explained: “My online presence was my truth even though it was a lie. I have this self at home who is sick and then this self on The Internet that’s doing amazing. The world wasn’t working for me. But online, I could live the life I wanted to live”. Determined not to let her illness rule her life, Glüme began making music on her computer before submitting it to Johnny Jewel’s independent record label, Italians Do It Better, to which she was steadfastly signed.
With The Internet, Glüme carved herself as a unique voice in the ever-growing landscape of alternative pop. However, her new album triumphs over her debut, providing considerably more sonic variety for listeners to sink their teeth into. Opening with ‘Child Actor’, one of two tracks to feature indie rockers STRFKR, Glüme recalls her memories of being a child star, illuminating the darker side of Hollywood, in keeping with her idolisation of Monroe. Moody synths whir as she sings, “Child actor, you’ll get sadder, please don’t grow up.” The weight of Glüme’s lyrics, combined with the inclusion of subtle strings as the song progresses forward, makes for the perfect emotive opener.
However, the album quickly segues into an accessible indie-pop anthem, ‘Do Me A Favour’, which would be at home on a playlist of 2014-era Tumblr tracks alongside the likes of Sky Ferreira and Marina and the Diamonds. With that, Glüme pays her dues to an obvious inspiration, Lana Del Rey, on ‘Brittany’, which not only namedrops the star but replicates her delivery of “Fuck!” from her 2017 song ‘Cherry’. The ominous synths possess a 1980s horror soundtrack sensibility, giving the track an air of mystery. Throughout the album, no matter how cheery the synths become, such as on the Grimes-infused ‘Dangerous Blue’, there is a darkness lurking underneath that harks back to Glüme’s lyrical offerings, from the darkness of Hollywood to heartbreak to chronic illness.
An unexpected collaboration comes in the form of ‘Main Character’, featuring Rufus Wainwright. It’s the most bizarre moment on the album – a tender ballad sandwiched between two slices of high-octane synth-pop. The pair sing about childhood innocence being snatched away with an almost-surreal quality embued in the sweeping strings. It’s hard to take the song seriously when it sounds like an offcut from a musical fever dream, although it is worth noting that Glüme gives an impressive vocal performance, demonstrating the versatility of her voice.
From this point onwards, Glüme seems to lose what she wants to say. Main Character often feels like a half-formed concept album, leaving the listener unsure of how seriously we’re meant to take certain pieces, such as ‘Intermission’, which discusses child acting with an overexaggerated sadness. Although Glüme certainly attempts to lean into the surreal with certain songs, the album loses momentum in its final third as the musician reckons with childhood trauma amongst less emotionally potent cuts. For example, trap beats flirt with commercial accessibility on ‘Flicker Flicker’, as Glüme sings, “I want you for your body/I’m sorry it’s the truth.” It’s one of the album’s most enjoyable tracks, yet, thematically, it doesn’t quite fit.
This is followed by multiple indie-infused tracks that leave the listener itching for the intensity found on earlier tracks. Another curveball is thrown with ‘Main Character Overture’, a cinematic instrumental piece intended to maintain the album’s child-acting motif. It simply feels out of place on the record, although it is a lovely piece in and of itself.
Main Character contains many of Glüme’s best tracks to date, yet it fails to become a cohesive work, grappling with too many ideas to form one solid product. However, the album demonstrates Glüme’s ambition, talent, and self-assuredness, and with a little more refinement, her next album will undoubtedly be spectacular.
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