Reflections on the Future: Man-Made Men

Man-Made Men is composed of SLC-based Lars Shurilla and Seattle-based Drew Barber. The band members collaborate remotely to produce their amazing sounds. Due to logistical difficulties, live performances are usually just Shurilla playing solo, but Barber is a crucial part of the production team. The two band members met during a Chinese language course where Shurilla was preparing for his LDS mission in China.

Shurilla’s personal musical involvements through high school and college were always in bands that had traditional guitars and drums in genres that leaned towards alternative rock. He enjoyed video games in his youth, so it is no surprise that his introduction to electronic music was with the chiptune genre. With focused reflections on the beeps and boops associated with retro games, Shurilla found the music nostalgic and endearing. He says, “I love the [games] and for a while, [I] wanted to find a way to incorporate that into my own music.” 

It was not until later in life that he found out how to produce their sounds. His younger brother was also into chiptune, and one day he offered to show Shurilla how to make it himself. “He busted out a Super Nintendo and hooked up a software for Game Boy called LSDJ and gave me a tutorial,” he says. “I loved it and started playing with it right away.” His brother would write the tracks’ drums and synthesizer sounds on the Game Boy and Shurilla would sing and play guitar over it. 

“In our sound now you can hear that chiptune influence, but the majority is going to be more modern synthesizers with ‘80s flare. I’m really proud of those songs too, and I enjoy singing, so it felt like the direction we needed to move in.”

About six years ago, Man-Made Men became the project Shurilla wanted to focus on. He produced chiptune with vocals and guitar for a long time before getting into synthwave and ‘80s-influenced electronic music and started creating that. He decided the project needed to be a duo and teamed up with current bandmate Barber. Barber’s influence was more electronic, and the synthesizers he used moved away from that chiptune style. He says, “In our sound now you can hear that chiptune influence, but the majority is going to be more modern synthesizers with ‘80s flare.” He adds, “I’m really proud of those songs too, and I enjoy singing, so it felt like the direction we needed to move in.” These days, the duo focuses on electronic music, synthwave, EDM and pop stylings with the technology of both analog and digital synths. They are also adding more vocal pieces instead of strictly producing instrumentals. 

Shurilla is an active member of the SLC Synth Alliance, a group of individuals who all love synthesizers and electronic music. It’s a very broad group of people who have different tastes in electronic music. Shurilla enjoys being a part of that community and has participated in a few shows with other members’ music projects. The Synth Alliance had an amazing summer camp last year at a cabin up in the mountains. “We all went up there and brought a bunch of synthesizers and speakers and just jammed out in the woods,” Shurilla says. “They are a very friendly and accepting group.” Aside from in-person activities and events, they also set up online gigs and create compilations. They recently released a 909 compilation on September 9, and last year they made an 808 compilation; each used a 909 and 808 synthesized drum machine, respectively, to create the tracks. They will also be releasing a compilation of remixes of retro video game tunes.

“After you’ve been to a show, you are a ‘man-made man’ and [you are] now a part of it. We engage together, we look back at technology and things of the past and then we plan and look forward to a future. A better future that we’re building together, as man-made men.”

When it comes to seeing Man-Made Men live, be sure to expect more than just a live music performance; audience members also enjoy a unique experience. At each show, there are many monitors and TVs for visuals. Shurilla is a huge fan of glitch art and likes to showcase that in his performances. “After you’ve been to a show, you are a ‘man-made man’ and [you are] now a part of it,” he says. “We engage together, we look back at technology and things of the past and then we plan and look forward to a future.” He adds, “A better future that we’re building together, as man-made men.”

You will be able to see Man-Made Men on October 12 at The Pearl on Main, located at 7719 Main Street in Midvale. Shurilla will be opening for Binding Vow and Essenger. Get your tickets here for $16 each. 

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