Southeast London-based singer-songwriter and producer Merrick Winter drops his brand-new single, “Veneer,” the first track lifted from his upcoming debut EP.
Talking about the retro sway of the songs on the forthcoming EP, Winter shares, “We wrote out some ground rules for this EP in a pub as I remember, one of which was to be hyper-intentional with each recorded element; to not take shortcuts in the box – 90 percent of what you hear is from analog sources – a lot of space-echo feedback and tape printing.”
After graduating from King’s College London, Winter began splitting his time between London and Los Angeles, fashioning a transatlantic career as a songwriter, producer, and touring guitarist for folk and pop.
In 2020, he released his debut single, “Fallback,” followed by working with David Ryan Harris, Ariza, and Matt Zara on “Along Together.” The following year, he won support from Arts Council England to produce his debut EP, set to be released in 2023.
In addition to producing for UK and U.S. artists such as Gabriella Eva and Zoe-blu, Merrick recently completed a headline tour with Parlophone singer-songwriter Victoria Canal, with performances at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, The Echo in Los Angeles, and television appearances.
Written during the pandemic, “Veneer” represents the collaboration of Winter and co-producer Patrick James Fitzroy, who has worked with PVA, Sunnbrella, Sorry, and Katy J. Pearson.
According to Winter, “This was one of those songs that just kind of poured out, both in the writing and in the studio.”
“Veneer” opens on remote, eerie tones topped by Winter’s soft, evocative voice. An industrial-lite drumbeat imbues the rhythm with a mid-tempo cadence as floating, enchanting leitmotifs infuse the harmonics with mesmerizing textures.
“For once it’s not me / That can feel it / Nothing at all / Lean on my shoulder / And say nothing at all.”l
At once beguiling and radiantly alluring, “Veneer” throbs with a heart-like rhythm capped by the haunting voice of Merrick Winter.
Follow Merrick Winter Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify