Naarm/Melbourne’s Merpire aka Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt has shared the hook laden ‘Leaving With You’ – smouldering on fizzing guitars and restless melodies, it’s a track that intersects elements of early 90s alt rock and pop music, this track unfurls from restless into a poppy chorus, Atkinson-Howatt’s vocals are effortless encapsulating all the giddy hope and wide-eyed yearning of waiting for your latest crush and hoping that they turn up to tonight’s party.
It’s the latest in her trilogy of singles plunging further into “desire for desire” . It’s taken from her forthcoming album MILK POOL out 4th July – an album for the romantics, the daydreamers, and those moving through intense periods of change. It’s a record about change, movement, and romanticism in all its forms. There’s something about the way she writes emotional states as if they’re places you can walk around in – and this track is no exception. It’s full of nervous energy, intimacy, and the soft pulse of longing.
Its late 90s/early 00s-esque video – directed by Brooke Painter (Heathers: The Musical, Urinetown) with a cameo from good friend Ruby Gill – captures the feeling of being completely energised and overtaken by the joyous-yet-jittery electromagnetism of a crush that just might be mutual, trying desperately not to be too obvious just in case – staying up all night, waiting around for that text, “living for the thrill”.
Speaking on the single, Merpire shares “”Leaving With You” is about those feelings you get around a crush when you have an inkling they feel the same way: the wonder if they’ll turn up to the party you’re at is both unnerving and exhilarating, you’re not sure if you’re hiding it well, nothing fills you with more energy than your crush being in your vicinity. You think about going home, you’re tired, but then they turn up and suddenly you could stay all night, living in this space where the probability between hooking up with them and not hooking up with them is equal.”
Written at a crossroads in Merpire’s life where she felt called to make huge changes, including stepping away from her achievements as a founder of live music streaming series ISOL-AID during the pandemic – an effort she began to bolster the struggling artist community which featured 146+ artists including, Angie McMahon, Courtney Bartnett, Sarah Blasko etc – and from interpersonal relationships, MILK POOL was recorded at Melrose Place on Wurundjeri Country with production by Merpire, James Seymour (Pillow Queens, Elizabeth M. Drummond, Jacob Diamond), and contributions via James Dring (Nilüfer Yanya, Genesis Owusu, Porches) and Elizabeth M. Drummond, mixed by Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding, Perfume Genius). MILK POOL’s themes – diving into the unknown, sexuality & pure crush, home in community, putting the final stitches over past traumas, restlessness, rediscovery of self and values – echo Merpire’s lived experiences, intentionally written to eddy & swirl in meaning depending on the listener – without ever losing her trademark sense of humour, buoyed by the human connection we share & a deep romanticism for people, places and how they inevitably change over time, featuring instrumentation via Merpire (vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, synths, tambourine), James Seymour (backing vocals, piano, ukulele, electric guitars, bass, programmed drums, synths, percussion), James Dring (electric guitars, bass, drums, beats and percussion), Elizabeth M. Drummond (backing vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, programmed drums, synths, bass), Jess Ellwood (drums) & Jeremy Gara (drums, percussion) – the result of an artist reclaiming her body, her joy and her desire.
