Toronto has long been a breeding ground for artists who thrive outside the lines, and GUMDROP fits squarely in that tradition. At the center of the duo is Shmu whose instinct for songwriting surfaced almost impossibly early, with hIs first song written at just three years old. That raw, unfiltered creative impulse still defines GUMDROP today, now sharpened into a sound that balances tension and beauty with deliberate intent. Alongside collaborator Buttons, the duo has carved out a space where emotional volatility and pop immediacy collide.
Their self-titled debut introduces a world built on contrast. Thai Angel sinks into a nihilistic haze, nodding to the weight and atmosphere of Drab Majesty-like darkwave and Deftones inspired heaviness, while EYE CANDY swings the door open to warped New Wave nostalgia, drenched in glossy synths and unease. Rather than feeling scattered, these extremes establish the project’s core identity: a universe where softness and abrasion coexist without apology.
Much of that tension lives in the vocals. Buttons moves fluidly between distorted sweetness and outright fury, her delivery often sounding like it might fracture under its own emotion. Shmu counters with a smoother, R&B-leaning presence that grounds the chaos without dulling it. The push and pull between their voices, layered over Shmu’s psychedelic and glitch-heavy production, gives GUMDROP its defining texture. It’s not just genre-blending; it’s emotional friction made audible.
Lyrically, GUMDROP refuses to stay in one lane. Songs shift from intimate portraits of heartbreak and obsession to sharper reflections on social unrest and the disorientation of late-stage capitalism. These themes never feel academic or distant. Instead, they are filtered through a candy-coated lens that makes the discomfort hit harder, not softer. The result is music that feels playful on the surface, then slowly reveals its teeth.
Operating independently, Shmu, the brainchild of the project, has focused less on viral moments and more on cultivating a loyal listenership. That patience paid off in a major way when Björk dropped one of his tracks during a DJ set in Paris in 2023, a rare and powerful co-sign that signaled Shmu’s resonance far beyond his immediate circle. It was less a breakthrough moment than a quiet confirmation that their instincts were landing where they mattered.
That confidence shows in his output. With a whopping four albums already released in 2025, including GUMDROP, and plans to push even further in 2026, GUMDROP, a natural extension of Shmu’s sound, works with a sense of urgency that feels driven by necessity rather than ambition. They are not chasing trends or permission. They are building a world at their own pace, sticky, sweet, and uncomfortably honest, and inviting listeners to step inside or get out of the way.