There’s something about the name Glacmanis that lingers. It sounds like a word misheard, a surname that never was. “In the place I used to work I misheard someone’s surname and thought it was ‘Glacmanis’. When I realised it wasn’t Glacmanis and was actually something slightly different I thought it would be a good name for a band.” And so it stuck.
Photographer uncredited
Glacmanis is Josh on rhythm guitar and vocals, Matt on bass guitar and vocals, Olli on drums and Callum on lead guitar – a four-piece that thrives on the tension between chill and chaos. “It’s DIY, it’s raw, it’s melodic,” they say. “It’s just about held together by duct tape.”
Their debut EP, Songs for a Chase Sequence (out Jan 16th), is a testament to that ethos. It is also the band’s first project with their new lineup. A new formation often brings growing pains, but not here. “There was an instant chemistry when we did Table of Four and it’s grown more with each song. The myriad of influences just seems to work.”
Table of Four seems to be the EPs soul song, it being each member’s favourite off the debut. Built from a simple bassline, the song has evolved into something bigger and unmistakably theirs. “We loved the collaboration that went into it,” they explain. “We recorded this during a heatwave in the summer in a box flat with no air conditioning.”
And while the EP is a milestone, the real magic might’ve happened off-mic. “Getting 100% in LEGO Star Wars,” they answer, when asked about the most euphoric moment of the process. It’s a joke, but also not. There’s a sense that Glacmanis doesn’t take themselves too seriously – until the music starts.
Photographer uncredited
When it comes to finishing a song, they keep it simple. “When you stop overthinking it.” That’s when it’s done. That’s when it’s real.
Their influences are a beautiful mess: Talking Heads, Joy Division, The Beatles, Geese. But if they could step into the studio with anyone? “We’d love to work in the studio with James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem. With our gigs we want to get a keys player in at some point. Nancy Whang, Billy Preston, Al Kooper, and Michael McDonald all doing keys and backing vocals simultaneously.” It’s a dream lineup that sounds like a fever dream – and somehow, you believe they’d pull it off.
So, what’s next for Glacmanis? “We’ve got gigs in February in Manchester & London as well as a very special headline planned in Manchester in April,” says the band. “We’ve started working on new tunes so should hopefully have another project out in 2026. Would also be great to do some festivals and good support slots this year. And get 100% on LEGO Indiana Jones.”
Glacmanis are here to be loud, to be honest, to be duct-taped together and still standing. And that’s exactly why they matter.
SONGS FOR A CHASE SEQUENCE OUT NOW.
Words by
Marie Müller, 2026.