MRCY - Volume 2
MRCY announced their arrival in early 2024 with the release of their debut single, “Lorelei.” With its breezy, stripped-back aesthetic, the track felt tailor-made for summer. It was an impressive statement of intent and a first glimpse of a duo who, for those in the know, looked poised to one day earn their spot amongst the ranks of the elite of British soul music. Much like many of the greats of the genre, MRCY’s sound is incredibly difficult to piegonhole, but ahead of the release of their sophomore record, Volume 2, we caught up with vocalist Kojo Degraft-Johnson and producer Barney Lister to try and pin them down.
“I always thought I had quite an interesting outlook on music,” Barney says as the three of us chat over video call on a sunny mid-week morning. The belief in his alternative perspective is what originally brought him to London, as he tried to make it in a notoriously unforgiving industry. Unlike the countless actors who flock to LA each year chasing success on the silver-screen, Lister’s “bit of delusion,” was quickly rewarded as he picked up an Ivor Novello Award for his work with Obongjayar. Proving his talent for songwriting, not just to himself, but to everyone else around him.
While Barney was finding his feet, Kojo was also carving out his own path, or as he puts it, “floating in the breeze, hoping the universe would help things fall into place.” As we now know, it did. The pair connected via Instagram and the rest is history.
“Musically and creatively, we gelled,” Kojo says, a reality the two acknowledge isn’t always guaranteed. “It felt like something I could identify with, like I could be a part of that thing,” he adds, recalling his first impression of Lister’s work.
The pair's early collaboration culminated in the release of their debut album, Volume 1, a record that served as a kind of palette cleanser, a perfect introduction to the band. The project earned them a quiet legion of fans who recognised their exquisite knack for producing timeless, soul-nourishing music. If you haven’t heard it yet, think of Khruangbin’s recent work with Leon Bridges and you’re in the right ball park.
Despite the success of their debut, the band were quick to get back into the studio. “I listened back to the first album and thought, it’s very tender, maybe even a bit careful,” Barney explains, hinting at an itching desire to constantly evolve.
Photo Credit: Beni Masiala
With Volume 2, the pair have found another gear. “We had to elevate the sound,” Kojo says. “Very early on, I was on board with the idea of adding a bit more angst into the music.”
On “Fear,” they veer perhaps the furthest from their debut. A stormy, rumbling drumbeat punctuated by discordant piano chords acts as a kind of pathetic-fallacy, setting the scene for Kojo’s venomous delivery on the verses. “Fuck you, I ain’t smiling,” he sneers, before his voice lifts into full, resplendent flight on the chorus. An awe-inspiring display of the full extent of his vocal range and the pair’s knack for creating surprising song structures.
The new record however, isn’t all angst. There is plenty of light to go alongside the shade as they explore themes of love and loss. “Wanna Know (Ontario)” is a beautiful tale of longing that features an incredible bassline, bringing to mind Father of The Bride era Vampire Weekend. As you work your way through Volume 2 the production feels bolder, more confident, and the songs are all the better for it.
One of the album’s early singles, however, is the track that demands the most attention. “Man” arrived in harmony with the release of Netflix’s Adolescence, a drama exploring the impact of online culture and toxic masculinity on teenage boys. On the track, MRCY tackle these issues head-on, posing a disarmingly simple question: “Tell me, what kind of man am I?” A refrain that taps into a universal sense of uncertainty that defines many people’s search for identity and meaning in the midst of the current cultural zeitgeist.
The track feels like a direct response to the noise of online personalities “putting words in your mouth,” all laid over Lister’s rich and layered production. “Man” has the expansive, genre-blending ambition of something taken from Kamasi Washington’s The Epic as waves of wind, keys, guitar, bass, and gorgeously stacked vocals coalesce in beautiful harmony to create what is undoubtedly one of the best songs of the year. It’s a confident display of their ability to stretch the boundaries of soul into something truly dynamic and exciting.
In response to his own question, Kojo finds clarity in the track’s closing line, “Move out the dark and lead with light.” A mantra as much as a chorus, it reflects not just the message of “Man” but also seems to underscore MRCY’s entire ethos. Human, hopeful, and unafraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Photo Credit: Beni Masiala
The band’s presence on the British music scene feels both vital and refreshing, not just for their commentary on cultural flashpoints, but also in their commitment to their craft. In an era when, according to Barney, “everyone and their pets is making music in their rooms,” how do you stand out from the crowd?
For MRCY, it has now become as much about the live shows as the recorded material. “We wrote a bunch of music before playing any lick of music live,” Kojo says. “I don’t know how much we were considering how it would translate.” But with Volume 2, performance was baked into the creative process.
Fresh off a short UK tour, the band have already built a reputation for their stirring live sets, largely thanks to Kojo’s commanding vocal performances. “When you hear Kojo’s voice live, it’s an eye-opening experience,” Barney says. But credit is also due to the stellar band they’ve assembled; a tight unit of talented musicians capable of translating their studio efforts into something electrifying on stage. In short, their shows are something not to be missed.
With Volume 2, MRCY are building on the foundations laid on their debut, pushing their sound into bolder, more urgent territory without losing any of the emotional depth that first drew listeners in. More than just another group of soul revivalists, they’re sculpting something new from the bones of the genre, something vulnerable, ambitious, and human.
Their music makes you want to dance. It makes you think. But most of all, they are making something with feeling. In divisive times, amplified by the cacophony of online noise, that doesn’t just feel refreshing, it feels revolutionary.
Volume 2 by MRCY is out now via Dead Oceans.
