Bruno Merz is a New Zealand born artist who has lived in various European countries but now lives in Canada. Bruno Merz is his birth name and not to be confused with famous pop artist Bruno Mars (Peter Hernandez).

Merz’s signature sound is exquisitely tender, inspiring comparisons to the music of Nick Drake and early Iron & Wine. The whispery layered harmonies of tracks like “A New World,” “Seventeen,” and “When the Road is Long” will sound reassuringly familiar to Merz fans while other, newer tracks mark risk and experimentation. On ‘Dreamers, 1987,’ Merz forays into other genres with the Stranger Things-esque beat of “Whangamata,” the dark broody twang of “Eleven Mile Creek,” the trippy echoes and hazy piano of “A Fable” and “Your Way Back.” Pairings of 80s and 90s synth sounds with elements of Americana and bluegrass lend to a unique nostalgia.

Asked about composing in Canada, Merz states: “I love the fact that I’m much closer to nature here (compared to Europe) and can get out into the wilderness when I need it… The long hilly roads and the beautiful landscapes have me listening to people like John Prine, Waylon Jennings, Guy Clark and Townes van Zandt.” You can certainly hear the influences of country and folk on ‘Dreamers, 1987,’ including the stunning cover of van Zandt’s “At My Window.”

Excerpt from article by Ziysah von Bieberstein