New Music: Departure Lounge – Mercury in Retrograde

The turn of the century saw high-regarded indie-experimentalists Departure Lounge release three classic albums: Out Of Here (1999), Jetlag Dreams (2001), and Too Late To Die Young (2002). 2021 will see them break a long silence with their fourth album, Transmeridian, and new single Mercury in Retrograde gives us a flavour of what’s to come.

The band’s sound has always had a light, breezy quality to it, as electronica bubbled through and acoustic filter. Mercury in Retrograde retains that, but hints at jazz rhythms in the guitar and brush-stroked percussion. Topped off with a vocal performance with an air of vulnerability, Departure Lounge shows they haven’t lost that knack for creating intricate, engaging indie music.

Singer Tim Keegan says of Mercury in Retrograde, “It’s the only complete song we already had when we reunited. It had been a live staple in our first operative period around the turn of the century but slipped through the net when it came to recording. At the reunion gigs, several people said it had always been their favourite and it still sounded fresh, so we decided to record it and I’m really pleased we did.”

Mercury in Retrograde can be streamed on Apple Music and Deezer, with their back catalogue available on Spotify. Be sure to check the band’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts and throw them a follow to keep up with news about the song, upcoming album, and more.

Transmeridian is set for release on vinyl and digital formats on the 26^th of March 2021 via Violette Records.

Photo by Jim Kirby