Naarm-based psych-rockers, Mer Lo, sit down with us for an exclusive chat!
Making the Melbourne rounds, these guys having been building up hype from The Tote to Cherry Bar.
Their infectious psychedelia has turned a new tide in the underground scene, and we wanted to find out what’s up.
Sitting down with Happy, the band takes us through their visual identity, the character of their tracks, and… selling a few t-shirts.
Keep on reading to find out what makes these guys tick!
HAPPY: What’d you get up to today?
MER LO: Since Mer Lo is a five-piece, if we were all compressed into one person, a standard day might look something like this.
9:00am – Woke up.
10:00am – Mowed the lawns, realised I’d lost my phone, then did 10,000 steps around my own backyard looking for it.
11:00am – Changed a lightbulb, lightly groomed my beard, and admired my handiwork.
12:00pm – Nailed some timber together, felt a slight twinge in my shoulder and thought, “I can’t wait to tell everyone about this.”
1:00pm – Came home, printed some posters, then accidentally fell asleep watching conspiracy theories.
3:00pm – Woke up, remembered I was unemployed, so I played some music. Then put my feet up, cracked a beer, spliced the mainbrace, and relaxed in the comforting knowledge that I was, in fact, still unemployed.
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it!
MER LO: We’re from a timeless dimension we call the now—an inferno suspended within an endless void, spiralling through infinity on a tiny speck of matter.
More specifically… Melbourne, Australia.
We love it because, despite infinite possibilities, we somehow all ended up here.
HAPPY: Your bio describes the new EP as a blend of vintage influence with a cinematic modern edge. Can you tell us what inspired this specific sonic direction for the project?
MER LO: Our sound is really an amalgamation of five different people. Each member brings their own influences, and somewhere in the middle, Mer Lo emerges.
We’ve never consciously chased a particular sound. Our music has always been a reflection of who we are, our connection to each other, and our love of making music. The direction naturally follows that.
HAPPY: Your last release, ‘Cheap,’ is described as an anthemic statement of intent. How does the new EP continue that narrative or perhaps pivot into a different mood?
MER LO: The EP completes a collection of songs that capture a pivotal moment for the band.
Each of the six tracks has its own character, but together they form a journey. We hope listeners can lose themselves in it and come away feeling something honest. Something that stirs a little wonder.
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HAPPY: The artwork for your releases is known to be carefully crafted. How does the visual identity for this new EP tie into its central themes?
MER LO: The visual identity stays true to the style that’s been part of Mer Lo since the beginning.
Our guitarist, Maxi, creates all of our artwork, posters and merchandise, so everything you see is as personal as everything you hear. It felt important that the artwork reflected the same hands and hearts behind the music.
HAPPY: How do you feel your songwriting has evolved from ‘Birds of Paradise’ to this new project?
MER LO: The songwriting has evolved naturally with the band itself. We’ve got a different lineup now, different chemistry, and we’re all at different stages of life than when we wrote Birds of Paradise.
The vision has become clearer, and we’ve become more confident in following it wherever it leads.
HAPPY: What do you consider the most pivotal moment in MER/LO’s journey so far that set you on your current path?
MER LO: The most pivotal moment was when we were encountered by a divine entity… who looked like Matt Damon.
HAPPY: Headlining iconic venues like The Tote and Cherry Bar is a huge milestone. How has the Melbourne underground scene shaped MER/LO as a band?
MER LO: We’re incredibly grateful to the Melbourne music scene.
From the very beginning, there was always a venue willing to give us a chance. It never seemed to matter whether we were polished, how many followers we had, or how many people we could bring.
There was always somewhere that let us get on stage, make mistakes, improve, and figure it out.
Without that community, we wouldn’t have become the band we are today.
HAPPY: What would you say is the one thing you want audiences to take away after seeing MER/LO live or hearing this new EP?
MER LO: Ideally… a T-shirt and a couple of stickers.
Failing that, a soft buzz, a lighter spirit, and a good soundtrack for the drive home.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
MER LO: Freedom.
Strength.
Love.
...and selling a few T-shirts.
