Merz (musician)

Merz (born Conrad Lambert in Dorset, England) is an English multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He has released five albums.

Merz
Merz (Conrad Lambert) performing at Joe's Pub, New York City, 17 September 2008
Background information
Birth nameConrad Ewart Lambert
OriginDorset, England
GenresAlternative, electronica, folk
Years active1996–present
LabelsEpic (1998–2001)
Grönland (2004–2009)
Accidental (2012–present)
Websitemerz.co.uk

Biography

Born Conrad Lambert in Dorset, England, he grew up in West Bretton & Huddersfield, Yorkshire and moved to London in 1992.

Merz had two minor hits in 1999 in the UK Singles Chart with Many Weathers Apart and Lovely Daughter.[1] Later that same year, his eponymous debut album was released on Epic Records. The album combined elements of electronica with strains of folk and drew critical acclaim.[2] However, the commercial success which had been predicted by many in the music industry and press failed to materialise, and Merz withdrew from his recording contract with Epic's parent company, Sony BMG, in 2000.

His second album, Loveheart, surfaced five years later on the independent Grönland label. It also won plaudits, was well received in the music press[3] and re-established Merz as a singular British musician.

Subsequently Merz toured UK & Europe extensively, played at festivals as diverse as UK's Green Man Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and SXSW in USA. More acclaim followed in the US, where the track Dangerous Heady Love Scheme was iTunes Single of the Week, and Postcard From A Dark Star, Toy, Credo and Serene were all Today's Top Tune for LA radio station KCRW.

The third Merz album Moi et Mon Camion (2008) was written on the move, as Merz was relocating from Bristol to the English coast to the rural city of Bath then subsequently to Bern the capital city of Switzerland. The album features two collaborations with Paul Hartnoll of Orbital.

This album was recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios just outside Bath, and Rockfield Studios in Wales. Featuring a few notable musicians: Charlie Jones, some time bass player with Robert Plant & Jimmy Page and Goldfrapp, Clive Deamer, drummer for Portishead and Radiohead. The Earlies on backing vocals. This 3rd album also gained Merz much critical acclaim[4] and saw Merz undertake his first pan-USA tour.

In 2012 Merz recorded his fourth album No Compass Will Find Home collaborating with Matthew Herbert on the production and mix. It was released in UK January 2013 by Accidental Records. Again the UK press praised the album, The Sunday Times making it Album of the Week[5] calling it a 'must buy' record. The Xynthia EP was released around the same time containing additional songs and a haunting Dimlite remix of The Hunting Owl.

On 27 September 2013 Merz, along with musicians Shahzad Ismaily and Julian Sartorius, performed a show in London consisting of only one song: Many Weathers Apart. Variations and extemporizations on elements of the original song and its ten different remixes were incorporated into a forty-five minute set.[6] It marked 15 years since the original release of the song.

In November 2013 a Drum and Vocal Renditions version of Merz's album No Compass WIll Find Home was released by drummer/sound artist Julian Sartorius. Only the vocals from the original album were used to re-create the songs in drum and percussion arrangements. This record was released by Merz and Sartorius' respective labels Accidental Records and Everest Records. The album was toured as Merz feat. Sartorius Drum Ensemble with a line-up of four drummers (directed by Sartorius) and Merz on vocals.[7]

January 2015 Merz announced the release of his new album with a first song, Suite Mercy made available on Pledgemusic,.[8] In November 2015 Accidental Records released the fifth Merz album Thinking Like A Mountain, mixed by Matthew Herbert and featuring collaborations with musicians Shahzad Ismaily, Julian Sartorius, Dimlite, Gyda Valtysdottir and Ewan Pearson. Mojo Magazine called it “Merz’s brave new beginning”. The Ransom Note wrote “Merz has now reached a stage where he is a master of his art”[9]

In June 2018 Merz created a performance titled A Monastic Gig (the title an homage to the Alice Coltrane album A Monastic Trio) and invited the American musician Laraaji and American visual artist Jed Ochmanek to join in the collaboration.

The event was held at Dampfzentrale Bern, transforming the ex-power station venue into a monastic vault. The singular concert engineered an atmosphere similar to recitals in churches: calm, sublimity, respect, humility; free of old-world religiousness and iconography. The audience were requested to enter the hall in silence, listen and observe in silence and leave the hall in silence.

Merz has also co-written, appeared as a vocalist and musician with Victoria Williams, Fred Frith, Arto Lindsay, Orbital (band), Guy Called Gerald, Tom Middleton, Maxim (The Prodigy), Leftfield, Lemn Sissay, Leo Abrahams, Dive Index, Dan Le Sac, Dorit Chrysler, Tythe, Anne Marie Almedal, Manuel Troller, Kutti MC, has created remixes for Matthew Herbert, Dan Le Sac, Hayley Ross, produced the debut album of the band Jon Hood, and has lectured a songwriting masterclass at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Merz is the 2018/19 Associated Artist at the Dampfzentrale Centre for Music and Contemporary Dance.

He is currently based in Joshua Tree, California.

Discography

Albums
  • Merz (1999), Epic Records
  • Loveheart (October 2005), Grönland
  • Moi et Mon Camion (February 2008), Grönland
  • No Compass Will Find Home (January 2013), Accidental
  • No Compass Will Find Home (Julian Sartorius Drum and Vocal Renditions) (November 2013), Accidental, Everest Records
  • Thinking Like a Mountain (November 2015), Accidental
  • iNK (March 2016) CDr Self-Release
  • Dreams of Sleep and Wakes of Sound (June 2019) Dampfzentrale Bern

EPs
  • CC Conscious EP (Oct' 1998)
  • Many Weathers Apart (July 1999)
  • Lovely Daughter (Sept' 1999)
  • Lotus EP (March 2000)
  • Postcard From A Dark Star (January 2006)
  • Silver Tree EP (June 2006)
  • Presume Too Much (March 2008)
  • Daytrotter Session (Jan 2009)
  • Xynthia EP (December 2012)
  • Amber Green Red EP (August 2016) CDr Self-Release
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References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 361. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. groenlandrecords (21 February 2008), Merz on Later with Jools Holland, retrieved 28 September 2017
  3. "Album: Merz". The Independent. 14 October 2005. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. "Album Review: Merz - Moi Et Mon Camion". DrownedInSound. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  5. Davis, Mark Edwards, Dan Cairns, Stewart Lee and Clive (2013). "Pop, Rock & Jazz, Jan 6". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0956-1382. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  6. MERZvideos (16 December 2014), Merz - Many Weathers Apart /variations\ 'One Song Show' feat. Shahzad Ismaily & Julian Sartorius, retrieved 28 September 2017
  7. Zatter (4 February 2014), Merz feat. Sartorius Drum Ensemble - The Hunting Owl (Julian Sartorius Drum & Vocal Rendition), retrieved 28 September 2017
  8. Merz on Pledgemusic
  9. "Video Premiere: Merz - Ten Gorgeous Blocks". Retrieved 28 September 2017.
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