A few years back, David Sylvian released a song called “World Citizen”, which brings up the question of what it means to carry this title. Today The Big Takeover is pleased to premiere the forthcoming single from Bruno Merz, who truly is a world citizen and sonic globetrotter, bringing his song-wares to several continents now as a singer-songwriter. Having lived in New Zealand, the UK, Amsterdam, and now gearing up for a move to Canada in the near future, he seems to be on a mission to bring joy to local audiences in all of these locations.

Today The Big Takeover presents “Whisper Turn” for online listeners, without regard to geographic boundaries. Described as a new Bohemian folk pop artist, on “Whisper Turn”, the artist who most immediately comes to mind is Nick Drake. And it doesn’t seem like it’s intentional either – there is so much genuineness and heart in this track. At about the 4/5 mark, drums catch you off guard in the first listen, building up in intensity and then dissipating.

Born in New Zealand to Dutch parents, Merz grew up in a family where he and his siblings were enthusiastic songwriters, forming bands with names that changed daily. By the time he was twenty, he sought to discover the world and he moved to France and eventually worked his way over to Holland, where he knew the language. He recalls his his rambling days in Holland as a period of desperation and healing. He found work in animation and illustration in Amsterdam, as well as the first love of his life… and eventually his first heartbreak too.

In 2014, Merz released his debut album Highways with the single “Emmeline”, receiving millions plays on Spotify in the months following the release with a whopping 300K listeners per month. Since then, he has also written a classical score for the Northern Ballet’s production Tortoise and the Hare, which toured the UK and was televised by the BBC.

“Whisper Turn” is an elegant, reflective number that glows with spare, but mellifluous acoustic guitar lines and Merz’s warm and hopeful vocals.

“This was inspired by the events of 2016 and a fresh realization of how meticulously beautiful nature and this planet is. It’s a wake-up call to humans and I hope an injection of hope and strength to those who are waking up to what really matters in life,” says Merz.

The lyrics to “Whisper Turn” are delightfully humane and inspirational.

There’s a quiet that’s descending
as the seas they rise
and the fields lie broken
under burning skies.

I hear stillness in the highways
though they roar like waves.
Can you hear it people
whisper “turn away”

So lift up your heads
uncover your eyes.
There’s so much more to us than this.
Full of a light, an echo that guides
telling us all that we exist, exist.

And I can’t see where I am going.
But it don’t bother me.
My feet will find the soft grass
This path of love to you.

Merz’s new single will be released on November 24 on regular sales and streaming platforms, as well as his own Bandcamp

Merz’s music is just too good to keep to ourselves, so we recommend listening to a few of his previous tracks:

BRUNO MERZ
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