Mermaidens (LP)

Indie trio Mermaidens, comprising of Gussie Larkin (guitar and vocals), Lily West (bass and vocals) and Abe Hollingsworth (drums), are set to make a resounding splash in the music scene yet again with the announcement of their fourth self-titled album and release of the project's first single I like to be alone. Mermaidens has been on an impressive journey of musical excellence, boasting three critically acclaimed albums, international tours and a slew of accolades to their name.

With a sound that is both bold and adventurous, Mermaidens' music is a testament to their unwavering creativity and relentless work ethic. Their upcoming self-titled album, a product of the band's tireless efforts between 2019 to 2022, promises to be a captivating sonic journey, delving into themes of self-awareness, introspection, long-term love, and even channeling political anger and frustration.

Recorded mainly at Surgery Studios in Wellington, with the engineering prowess of Lee Prebble and produced by Samuel Flynn-Scott of The Phoenix Foundation, the album also saw the band stepping up their production game with Gussie and Lily working their magic with Protools in their DIY home studios, showcasing their growth and versatility as artists.

'Working with Sam has really been a round trip in our creativity,' as Lily explains, 'we grew up listening to Sam's early records and here we are getting the inside scoop on how to make that kind of magic. Listening to Pegasus today still transports me to a time when I listened to music on a Walkman. In the best possible way - sometimes it felt like we'd added an evil genius to the mix, we'd be working on a song and he'd come in like a mad scientist with fresh ideas to try. We also wanted a bit of a mentor. Because we started learning music by playing together, sometimes we can't imagine beyond our specific sound. We wanted to break beyond that.'

To give fans a taste of the upcoming album's brilliance, Mermaidens today release new single I like to be alone. The song has been part of the band's live repertoire for a while and explores the fulfilling contentment of being alone and the struggle to convey this sentiment to a partner. Its relatable lyrics capture the essence of cherishing solitude while navigating the complexities of human connections.

Having released their last two albums through Flying Nun, Mermaidens will be released independently. Creative control is an important pillar for the band, who are hands on in every facet of their projects