Listen: Merk – I'm Easy

Auckland-based New Zealand singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Merk (government name: Mark Perkins) has a very particular musical vision, which he describes as "Pavement produced by George Martin." With his latest single, I'm Easy; Merk comes one step closer to realising his goals. Lighthearted, whimsical and abstract, I'm Easy pairs the nonchalant guitar jangle of '90s college alt-rock and ascendant psychedelic-pop melodies with wobbly bass notes and stargazed keyboard lines straight out of the French synth-pop playbook.

"I wrote I'm Easy with a childhood friend of mine," Mark explains. "We were sitting around the heater at his place when we came up with the lyrics and melody. Writing is just a fun thing we like to do when we get together, but I liked I'm Easy so I took what we had made and recorded it at home. It took a long time to perfect those big dumb synth sounds. They had to be ugly, but a nice ugly if you know what I mean."

Outside of his solo work as Merk, Mark also plays guitar with fellow emerging New Zealand alt-rocker Fazerdaze. From September to October, they will both attend the Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal. Mark is currently recording towards his debut solo album as Merk.