NOIRXSOUND

Daniel Cantu | August 25, 2025

I first found MERGES as a mention on Soulection founder Joe Kay’s album as a featured artist on one of the songs. His album had been out for a little while, and I finally got around to listening. She crooned her soft, sweet vocals over the chorus line of the record (I can’t even remember the exact song now), but it was enough to make me stop and pay attention.

Out of curiosity, I looked her up on Apple Music and stumbled across her track Cool V_2. Man… I was hooked. The bounce, the vibe, the production, and her vocals were perfectly aligned, like the song was crafted with the utmost care and patience. Later I realized that Kaelin Ellis, one of my favorite producers and an absolute master of his craft, had produced it. That’s when it all clicked. No wonder it had that undeniable vibe.

I went nuts over this record. I even sent it to my friend Brandon, who’s also going to be sharing reviews on here, just to spread the word. What really hit me, though, was realizing Cool V_2 had actually dropped two years ago. For me, it made the discovery even more special—like I had stumbled onto a hidden gem I wasn’t supposed to find so late. These past 5 days since i first heard the track, I’ve been playing it nonstop. I’ve been analyzing every lyric, every piece of the  production from drums and instrumentation, and I’m just trying to figure out how they pieced this altogether so perfectly.

MERGES has been on my radar as an artist to watch. Her sound is soulful and experimental but still accessible, a mix of futuristic R&B and alternative grooves that feels timeless. She’s part of this new wave of artists who aren’t just making songs—they’re crafting experiences. And if her early work is any indication, MERGES is only getting started.

But that wasn’t the only surprise. Digging deeper, I found MERGES grew up on a farm in South Dakota, surrounded by nothing but wide-open skies and creative freedom. A symphony of nature and sibling creativity defined her childhood—dancing in the backyard, designing clothes, experimenting without limits. That background—a mix of rootsy simplicity and artistic curiosity—shines through in every note she sings.

I’ve gone back to explore more of her catalog, and each release shows a different shade of who she is as an artist. The Agnus EP feels like her most personal work to date. The opener Stampede pulls you in with its stripped-back intimacy, and Scrabble rides on a smooth, delicate groove. But it’s the title track Agnus that really sticks—closing with a heartfelt voicemail from her grandmother, making it feel deeply human and grounding.

Elsewhere, projects like Fuji bring a funkier, more playful energy, while singles such as American Eagle lean into sleek, confident R&B with her signature softness layered in. She’s not an artist who sticks to one lane—each song feels like a small experiment, but always tied together by the warmth of her voice and her ability to make you feel something.

Personally, if it were up to me, I would love to see her do a full project with Kaelin Ellis, but one can only wish. Overall, she is a true and genuine artist. You can tell the time and effort that is put into her writing and the execution of each song that she’s created. while we see artists on a daily basis talk about their creative process, there’s a very select few artists who are genuinely engulfed in the process of their record from start to finish. By this, I mean, writing the record, producing the record, mixing the record, and having their hands on it at all times.

Whether it’s her storytelling through sound or visual craft, MERGES continues to reveal more of her world—one captivating melody at a time.

Check out Merges below on Spotify.