Mercir (mer-ser) began in an apartment studio in 2003, armed with samplers, synthesizers, guitars and an SM-57 microphone. It was only out of consideration for our neighbors that we decided to use acoustic guitars and electronic beats and samples as the core of our songs. Records like Bjork's "Homogenic" and Radiohead's "Kid A" were early inspiration as they were beautiful examples of artists blurring the lines of electronics and emotion. Hailing from Seattle, Mercir employ the honesty and ache one might expect, but the sound is far from the garage. As The Seattle PI said of our debut full length, As Small as the Center, "...this is dance music as Seattle enjoys it: brooding and musically unpredictable." Songs range from creaking, acoustic ballads, to soaring atmospheric pieces, suitable for film. Recently, we've been busy touring and promoting our record along the West Coast, remixing for other artists including West Indian Girl, and licensing our music for MTVs "The Real World" and cable channel CURRENT. --------------------------------- THE SEATTLE TIMES The electronic-rock trio Mercir might be Seattle's most talented new band. (12.24.04) Debut CD of the month: "As Small as the Center," is a stunning production from a fast-rising Seattle band called Mercir. Songs like "The War Room" and "Since the End" owe a huge debt to Radiohead — but a band could reach for much lower standards, and this isn't ripoff material. Whatever they were eating and drinking when they made this beautiful record, I hope they pass it around to other local bands. (9.12.04) THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER This is dance music as Seattle enjoys it: brooding and musically unpredictable. (12.31.04) PASTE MAGAZINE Not unlike Air or Zero 7, Mercir blends earthy, organic elements with electronic sounds and wide swaths of keyboard. For a band whose main instruments are keyboards and samplers, Mercir creates a surprisingly human sound, thanks in part to the soulful, wounded vocals of frontman Zadok. Ballads like "Since the End" recall the best of late 90's Britpop anthems, but Mercir shines on the brooding "God's Hands," which sink its nails into tragedy, death and doubt before finding itself caught up in hope's waiting arms. (Feb 2005 issue) THE STRANGER Mercir's new self-released record, As Small As the Center, is being celebrated tonight and if I have anything to say about, it will explode soon thereafter. They're bitter at times, but still naive enough to see beauty. They're a little shy, but still confident enough to be so totally sexy. The beats are subtle, the vocals are soft, the sounds are haunting, but how much sense it makes when all pieced together is chill-inducing. (9.9.04)
