This is Melbourne’s psychedelic underground.
Melbourne’s MER/LO have been quietly building something special since their 2021 formation, and their latest EP cheap arrives as a defining statement from a band hitting their creative stride.
What began as a coastal relocation project between longtime collaborators Max and Sam has evolved into a formidable five-piece outfit that now stands among the city’s most compelling emerging rock acts.
The band’s journey through Melbourne’s underground scene has been marked by deliberate evolution.
The addition of guitarist Jasper helped crystallise their identity, but it was the 2024 expansion bringing Jake and Lachie into the rhythm section that transformed MER/LO into something genuinely powerful, tighter, heavier, and more rhythmically sophisticated.
Their reputation for immersive live performances at iconic venues like The Tote and Cherry Bar has cultivated a loyal following drawn to their unique blend of vintage soul and modern grit.
TBC encapsulates everything MER/LO have been working toward.
The EP channels the atmospheric depth of Pink Floyd while maintaining the crushing weight of Black Sabbath, all filtered through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Tracks move dynamically through cosmic soundscapes before crashing into groove-heavy passages that feel both nostalgic and forward moving.
The production balances cinematic energy with raw, unfiltered power; each song feels like a journey through shifting moods and intensities.
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Standout moments arrive when the band leans into their psychedelic desert rock influences, conjuring images of vast Australian landscapes while maintaining an intimate, almost claustrophobic intensity.
The rhythm section locks into hypnotic grooves that anchor the more experimental elements, while the guitar work alternates between shimmering textures and razor-edged riffs.
There is a confident restraint at play here; MER/LO understand when to build tension and when to release it.
With their bold 2026 release schedule already underway and the anthemic title track setting the tone, cheap positions MER/LO as a band operating at full capacity.
This is psychedelic rock for the modern age, cinematic, groove-driven, and utterly immersive.
