Music Releases
Se Mig
Vanya Merc
I've long been fascinated by Veronica's music as it has a certain je n'est ce qoui to it - and more often than not, she and her team of writers/producers really knock it out of the park. She is in my opinion the very finest of Swedens respectable label of pop artists, and "Se Mig" is a perfect example of her prowess.
This cover is as usual an
I've long been fascinated by Veronica's music as it has a certain je n'est ce qoui to it - and more often than not, she and her team of writers/producers really knock it out of the park. She is in my opinion the very finest of Swedens respectable label of pop artists, and "Se Mig" is a perfect example of her prowess.
This cover is as usual an instrumental affair, blending elements of the original as well as my own whimsical style, backed by Leo's expressive drumming and absolutely stellar mixing and mastering.
Sideshow
Vanya Merc
The growth process isn’t exactly linear. Though creativity generally comes in bursts for me, I find that from a purely intellectual standpoint, there need to pass a few years between album releases, providing me with some time to recharge the creative batteries, and develop, so as to not repeat myself.
"Sideshow" was born of a marathon of
The growth process isn’t exactly linear. Though creativity generally comes in bursts for me, I find that from a purely intellectual standpoint, there need to pass a few years between album releases, providing me with some time to recharge the creative batteries, and develop, so as to not repeat myself.
"Sideshow" was born of a marathon of creativity that began way back when I started writing material for "Traction Control", and didn’t let up until the world ground to a halt at the beginning of 2020 (and even then, there were sparks of new ideas that would get jotted down).
With "Traction Control" released, and a slew of new tracks already written and recorded, yet still relatively in-keeping with the former stylistically, I deemed it wise to cobble together a short EP. Enter "Sideshow".
"Sideshow" is thus a kind of expansion to "Traction Control", albeit one that’s bigger and bolder than the former despite its limited running time. Not a completely new album, but not far off either.
In the midst of all the uncertainty that plagued humankind in 2020 and 2021, there was a great deal of opportunity. In this case, the opportunity to work with some of the best musicians and technicians in the industry - without compromises of any kind.
A minor collaboration between myself and Leo Margarit, who initially recorded drums to my demo recording of "A Matter of TIme", proved to be the catalyst that would kick the whole process off. Before long, Leo and I had gotten into the zone producing and mixing the tracks, with Leo bringing new life to the compositions with his work behind the skins.
The luck didn't stop there either - not wanting to skimp on the low-end, the project needed a dedicated bassist. Leo dropped his former war buddy Gustaf Hielm a line to check whether he'd be up for contributing bass to the release. As fate would have it, he had some time to spare and liked the music (which in itself was flattering enough).
The cherry on top was getting Jens Bogren to handle mastering duties. At last, the circle was complete.
While the above may appear to make "Sideshow" purely a vanity project, I was really out to inject external influences into the tracks, allowing them to breathe in a completely different way, and providing me with opportunities to re-appraise the arrangements and what was being played. It also made for a whole host of pleasant surprises during the course of recording.
Special thanks to Leo Margarit for putting so much time and passion into this project, going above and beyond the call of duty, and making this a frictionless experience. Not to mention amazing mind-reading abilities, always knowing exactly what I was after regarding drums and production on each track. Kudos to you man.
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Consequences 3:220:00/3:22
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The Kitchen Sink 5:170:00/5:17
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Sparkle 3:310:00/3:31
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A Matter of Time 5:110:00/5:11
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Undoing 4:590:00/4:59
Dropouts
Vanya Merc
A collection of 4 tracks written and recorded 2011-2017 during writing sessions for "This Lousy T-Shirt" and "Traction Control".
Vanya Merc - Guitars Gustaf Hielm - Bass Leo Margarit - Drums Tomas Engberg - Keyboards/Organ on "It's Complicated" Erik Igelström - Mandolin on "Easy Does It"
Produced by Vanya Merc & Leo Margarit Mixed by Leo
A collection of 4 tracks written and recorded 2011-2017 during writing sessions for "This Lousy T-Shirt" and "Traction Control".
Vanya Merc - Guitars Gustaf Hielm - Bass Leo Margarit - Drums Tomas Engberg - Keyboards/Organ on "It's Complicated" Erik Igelström - Mandolin on "Easy Does It"
Produced by Vanya Merc & Leo Margarit Mixed by Leo Margarit Mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios
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It's Complicated 5:110:00/5:11
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Not Long Now 3:250:00/3:25
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Easy Does It 4:300:00/4:30
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Call it Quits 6:310:00/6:31
Traction Control
Vanya Merc
No-nonsense, unfettered instrumental guitar music; the way it used to be.
Traction Control: The Story So Far
After completing my previous album “This Lousy T-Shirt” way back in 2014 I, satisfied with my meagre achievement, promptly forgot about it and went about my business....
Fast forward 5(!) years and I’m still wasting my time playing guitar.
No-nonsense, unfettered instrumental guitar music; the way it used to be.
Traction Control: The Story So Far
After completing my previous album “This Lousy T-Shirt” way back in 2014 I, satisfied with my meagre achievement, promptly forgot about it and went about my business....
Fast forward 5(!) years and I’m still wasting my time playing guitar. I could have invested in an MBA or something lucrative that would have netted me millions after a couple of years of hard graft, but alas...
Here’s Traction Control. An album virtually bursting at the seams with notes, bearing the hallmarks of my growth as a musician and guitarist over the last couple of years.
This is an album that’s all about throwing caution and moderation to the wind and skirting the limits of what is digestible in terms of compositional sensibility, with the tracks consistently teetering between irreverence and introspection; jocose and melancholy, lighthearted and sober. It marks my attempt to perform as close to the edge as possible, without veering catastrophically off course.
On a more personal note, Traction Control serves as a cautionary tale of sorts. It was written and recorded during a period of my life marked by unprecedented productivity, happiness, contentment, adversity, regret, catharsis and joy. The album describes an arc which luckily ends as it began. It acts as a reminder that there is ultimately a price to be paid when progress is made at the expense of others, and the consequences of taking the good things in life for granted.
But enough about that. Give it a whirl - there's something on this record for everyone. Enjoy!
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Intro 1:030:00/1:03
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Kiss 4:040:00/4:04
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Echo 4:310:00/4:31
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0:00/6:18
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Mondays 5:350:00/5:35
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Neon Flush 4:180:00/4:18
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Now or Never 6:230:00/6:23
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This Is Thirty 5:410:00/5:41
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Falling Away 5:310:00/5:31
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Aftermath 7:310:00/7:31
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Sleeping in Light 5:090:00/5:09
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Terminus 6:190:00/6:19
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0:00/3:38
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0:00/5:34
This Lousy T-Shirt
Vanya Merc
A no-holds barred love letter to instrumental guitar music
Written over a period 5 years, the album is a celebration of the guitar and instrumental guitar music in the many forms it has taken since its initial cultural explosion in the late 1960's. More specifically however.....
In the summer of 2008 I awoke one day to the realization that I was
A no-holds barred love letter to instrumental guitar music
Written over a period 5 years, the album is a celebration of the guitar and instrumental guitar music in the many forms it has taken since its initial cultural explosion in the late 1960's. More specifically however.....
In the summer of 2008 I awoke one day to the realization that I was fast becoming one of THOSE musicians. Anyone who has dabbled in the business of committing black dots to tape at some point has met at least one; that dude with a gear collection to make a working Joe green with envy, an insatiable case of G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and not a tone of original music to their name. Some of these individuals grow bored after a while And move on to other vices. More unfortunate cases stretch the habit out across a lifetime and are no better off for it - always chasing that one last elusive piece of gear before making THE RECORD.
I decided I wanted more. A statement of my own. A tribute to all those artists who had inadvertently triggered my obsession with music and love of the guitar. Something people could still enjoy in my absence in the event I should expire prematurely during divorce proceedings at 40. Whatever.
The last couple of years have been a veritable rollercoaster of writing, recording, parsing, reshuffling, and killing of darlings - with a nervous breakdown of sorts and bucketloads of anxiety thrown in for good measure. The result of the above is this record. Short and sweet, it serves as my personal showcase for everything I love about music channeled through my puny fingers and a couple of guitars.
I won’t lie to you - there are no illusions here about the possibility of commercial success. These compositions exist only to satisfy my musical desires, unfettered by compromise of any nature. I can only hope that in pursuing my goal in this manner I’ve created something other people can enjoy as well.
Perhaps people who aren’t necessarily guitarists.
Who knows?
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Reality Check 4:480:00/4:48
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Let It Out 4:140:00/4:14
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Them Apples 3:380:00/3:38
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Peacock 4:010:00/4:01
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Didn't See It Coming 4:250:00/4:25
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Telemundo 2:180:00/2:18
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Until I Sleep 4:280:00/4:28
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Twenty Six 4:490:00/4:49
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0:00/4:15