MerriCat just released their new EP
and they are hosting a special gig this Wednesday with Epilogue, Skyless and Tommyguns
Dublin-based Merricat band blends grunge and alternative rock with a dreamy, slightly spooky feel. Forming in early 2025, the band met and formed in art college, at NCAD’s music society. The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Kelly Branagan, Kai Malone on bass, Oisin McGough on lead guitar and Joshua Hayes on the drums.
We have been honoured to talk with them about their debut EP ‘In Limbo’. They gave us a unique insight on their upcoming music, describing their tracks from their personal point of view. So, without further ado, let’s hear it directly from the band!
In Merricat’s own words
This debut EP has been an ongoing project for us, and we've had a lot of fun putting it together these past few months. It’s a collection of songs that are just the beginning for us and our sound, showing how much we have developed as a band.
I’d describe the EP as being quite moody and atmospheric. All the songs are very emotion-driven, which you can hear through both the music and the lyrics. Storytelling plays a big part in helping translate the emotions behind each song. While the lyrics have their own stories, we also felt it was really important to let the melodies and music speak for themselves too, helping create the melancholic atmosphere of the EP.
A special thanks to AJ Das for recording and mixing the whole EP, and to John Kirk for mastering. AJ really helped us get the sound we were looking for; he let us experiment during the recording process, and kept everything sounding cohesive.
Track 1 – Virtue
Virtue is my personal favourite, and it feels like the right song to start the EP with. It moves from soft, ambient sounds to bigger powerful vocals at the end. The song is about feeling disconnected from home, and sometimes choosing to stay ignorant of the things happening around you. I had Ireland in mind when writing the lyrics for this track, and how sometimes it can feel like you are being pushed out of your home even though you want to stay.
Track 2 – We Have Always Lived in the Castle
This track is a rerecording of a previous release, Merricat,from which we got the name of the band from. I would say it is the most story-driven song on the EP, being inspired by Shirley Jackson’s book. I wrote it as my own take on the ending, focusing on the character of Merricat and how she goes missing, leaving her sister behind on her own.
Track 3 – Springfield Glen
Springfield Glen is probably one of the more upbeat, lighthearted tracks of the EP. The name is from a bus stop on my commute to Kells: I was writing the song on the bus and based it on a house I always admired when driving by. The song is about being in a state of confusion and frustration due to knowing what the future holds. I also just play with the idea of sometimes letting your superstition make your decisions for you.
Track 4 – Merrow
This song is very emotive, and we tried to capture a lot of that through the melody and music itself. It's a song about frustration, feeling misunderstood, and all the emotions that go along with that. While I wanted to keep the lyrics minimal in this track, I also wanted to tell a story: so I chose to base it on the Irish mythical creature, the merrow, as these creatures were often misunderstood and mistreated in Irish folklore.
Track 5 – Soot
Soot is an older song that I wrote when I was younger, and that I brought to the band at the very beginning. It’s gone through a lot of reworking over time, including during the recording process, but we’re happy with where it is now. At its core, this song is about grief and loss, and the many forms these emotions can take. Lyrically, it’s a more personal song as it was originally written as a solo piece. As it is one of our first songs we played together and jammed on, we thought it would be nice to include it on the EP as a nod to where we began, and the direction we’re now heading in.
Thank you to @merricatband for sitting with us and talking about their upcoming debut EP. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to hear it!
Written by: Jules Nati @giuls.nati
Edited by: Jules Nati @giuls.nati
