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Today, New Zealand artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Merk (a.k.a. Mark Perkins) unveils new track/video “Deep Dive”, offering another look into the playful yet sincere world of his forthcoming global debut Infinite Youth due out April 9 on Humblebrag Records. A disco tinged beat sets the scene, driving the song along as the delicate play of Juno Synth and guitar lay the groundwork for Merk’s own kind of syrupy sweet pop. A master at creating tracks that feel minimal and sparse, imbibed with hidden gems, giving head spinning depth that you’ll catch on repeat listens. Accompanying Deep Dive’s release is a Sports Team written and directed video featuring Merk as head pancake chef at Auckland’s sweetest rooftop party.
Previous album singles “H.N.Y.B”, “Laps Around The Sun”, and “GOD” have earned critical acclaim spanning CLASH, SPIN Magazine, BBC Radio 6, and Spotify playlist support across New Music Friday, Indie Arrivals, and Brekkie Time. Infinite Youth is a record that thrives on a certain simplicity of rhythm, melody, and lyric, and is compelled by contrast: pop songs influenced by art music, an album about adulthood that reflects heavily on what it is to be young, and a sonic world that is both expansive and deeply intimate. He has also announced his headline New Zealand tour, celebrating the album release, he will be playing across five cities in May. Tickets go on sale March 22 at 9AM NZDT. You can find tour dates below and tickets HERE.
Merk shares, “Sometimes I DJ at weddings under the name DJ Ragù and wear a chefs hat to help bring a good vibe. I think I made an offhand reference to this weird character I perform under to Sports Team when we were hanging out once, which they must’ve remembered because when I asked them to make a video with me for ‘Deep Dive’, this is the concept they came back with: A rooftop pancake party where I’m performing like a DJ but instead of flipping records I’m flipping cakes, baby. So we invited a bunch of people over to my house in Auckland, went up to the rooftop and chaos ensued!”
He adds, “A portion of this song came to me in a dream one night, I woke up and went to the piano and recorded the demo. For that reason it feels very surreal and seperate to me. It’s one of the more pop moments on the album, a song that carries you the whole way through without changing too much. It reminds me a lot of our 80s Japanese city pop references as well as a New York New-Wave sound.”
