The Mercy Beat EP: tropical, falsetto groove

by Irene Lo

The Mercy Beat is, at first glance, a mysterious band. There isn’t much known about the L.A.-based trio except that their debut self-titled EP is out June 17^th via Oskar Recordings, a young French label. The mystery is constructed, and, for the most part, enforcing a strict no-information policy (where even the last names of the three people in the band are not shared) allows the songs off The Mercy Beat EP to speak for themselves, and that’s a good thing.

In three strong pop songs, The Mercy Beat comes off as an accomplished band that knows a thing or two about delivering a tropical, groovy sound. Each song is memorably anchored by Sam’s winsome falsetto, a juicy guitar riff supplied by Matty, and drummer Ian’s effective rhythms. The production works to create a rosy wash of synth-pop layers that make for mellow mixing. That The Mercy Beat is so capable of making a track that is engineered to appeal to the ears of pop fanatics is not that big of a surprise when its singer Sam is the same Sam Endicott who, as the front man to NYC’s New Wave revival act The Bravery, also wrote songs for pop stars, such as 2009’s “She Wolf” for Shakira. It was during Endicott’s stint in this line of work that he reportedly missed playing in a band, and formed The Mercy Beat in L.A. with friends.

“An Act of Mercy” is a catchy opener featuring a romantic chorus with lyrics that are anything but that, making a request to be lied to a positive and logical one: “Whatever you do, don’t tell me the truth because the truth kills. Just tell me sweet lies. Feed me sugar pills.” The laser-like synths are subtly powerful in “Sweet,” meanwhile “Fool for a Fool” is a dreamy track helped out due to the contributions of Endicott’s falsetto, which is as hauntingly loving as it is detached at the same time.

The Mercy Beat’s debut EP is a euphoric, cohesive whole.

Release date: June 17, 2014