Conor Corrigan created Monuman as an outlet for work beyond his drum-and-bass productions as Emperor. The project gave Corrigan room to explore a wider range of sounds, including techno, hip-hop, ambient music and metal. He has described Monuman’s slower, more melodic approach as more personal, because it makes expressing emotion easier.
Monuman released the six-track EP The Polychoral through Inspected in 2018. In 2019, Corrigan put out the 15-track album Provenance, also through Inspected; he described its path from a difficult period towards a more hopeful place, and said making the music helped him express himself. That December, Monuman released the album First Things First, with Corrigan writing and producing every track. Monuman’s releases also include work on Division. In 2020, Monuman released the single Inflict on Vision Recordings, followed by Nails on the label in 2022. The 2025 single Sullen came out on Vision, and Thoughts was released that year on Overview Music.