If you need someone in your corner, make sure it's NYC's nightlife-turned-popstar sensation Merlot; not only will they "take the fall" for you, they'll do it on-key, too.
While quarantine may have many musicians going back to the drawing board to reorganize tours, rewrite songs or revamp album cycles, Merlot's moving full steam ahead with their comeback single, "The Fall." Nearly a year has passed since the singer released their sophomore track, "Sunrise," and while their sound has stayed consistent, their attack plan has intensified. "The Fall" has all the hallmarks of a Merlot song — souped-up melodies, larger-than-life synths and bubbling bass kicks — but its focus is rather on inviting the listener into Merlot's sonic world rather than serving as an introduction.
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"Tell me what I got to do, tell me what to say/ I would take the fall for you, I would take the blame," they sing before exploding into a chorus of oh's and oo's over a shuffling club beat. It's enough to will the quarantine blues away, wrapping listeners up in an embrace of house-inspired togetherness. Not quite EDM and not quite R&B, the tone of "The Fall" becomes something else entirely, pushing Merlot's pop sensibility into a category of its own.
Earrings: Austin James Smith, Necklace: Mara Peralta, Corset: Ricky King, Jeans and boots: Nomenklatura
Befitting the haziest summer nights on Fire Island, backlit by a setting sun and queer abandon, the new track is a reverberating refresh of the new normal. Social distancing doesn't exist on a Merlot track, nor does it have any place between the bursting beats and stuns of synths. You may not be dancing with your Good Judy's at the club just yet, but "The Fall" is a reminder of the packed dance floors to come.
Along with the new single, Merlot is premiering the music video for "The Fall" with PAPER. A twirling vision under flashing lights, their memory fading from lover to lover, the Matt Sparks-directed video embodies the track with a unique precision: Merlot does it all for you, and the spotlight is trained right on them.
Watch the full video for "The Fall" below.
Photography: Luke Norton
Styling: Michael Umesi