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After a close call in a major accident, Scarlett and Geoff were thrown into a place of self-reflection. This led to the creation of Merlot Embargo, a musical duo that brings together the songwriter and the engineer, blending their life experiences and emotional approaches for a unique brand of Americana-pop. After arriving on the scene in 2016, they’ve built up a live reputation across Southern California, whilst writing new music out of their home studio.
In a track that plays into the opposing forces of playing up to a joyous atmosphere, but feeling a deep melancholy in your day to day, Merlot Embargo recently released their single ‘I Am Not OK’. Instrumentally, the song expressive and ever-growing, starting off with a bouncy percussive pattern. Slowly but surely, we are introduced to a grooving bass, dynamic acoustic guitars, twinkling pianos and even some roaring synth melodies by the end. String hits accent changes in texture whilst electric guitars provide soulful licks to counter the confident vocal melody. Speaking of the vocal, the performance is easy-going yet full of wisdom and strength, even conveying these feelings through the non-lexical vocalisation, shining through the abundance of instrumentation behind it. Infectious and inspiring, the high-energy is something that stays with you long after the song fades away.
Scarlett and Geoff add, “We tried to address the struggles of isolation and battling one’s own demons, but with the twist of simultaneously watching your partner out there conquering the world. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, but very much based on very real feelings.”
