Recorded in large part with her band just before the UK entered lockdown measures in March, Gallery is a dreamy, constantly shifting ballad that works its way from a sparse piano-and-vocal beginning through to a glorious full-band resolution. In the press release that accompanies the release, Mercer is quoted as saying it’s a song “that explores the notion of giving up control, losing one’s sense of self and seeking the validation of others” – and this comes through loud and clear in a lyric that uses playful metaphor to explore themes of love, uncertainty and mental health.

Although the bulk of the song was captured in the studio, Mercer ended up adding her vocals remotely from home. Although not ideal, perhaps this is one of the factors that contributed to such an intimate, phenomenal vocal performance. Her voice is difficult to accurately pin down; there’s a distinct Englishness on show (the good kind), and a fearlessness in the way that melodies swoop to unexpected places. Having spent a few days living with the song, I can hear clear parallels with the work of other literary-leaning artists such as Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Florence Welch. It’s ambitious songwriting, and every bit as expansive, elegant, and grandiose as namechecking those three artists would suggest. Also, it’s worth mentioning that – although Mercer’s vocal range is impressive – it’s the use of restraint that really stands out. There’s no need for histrionics here, and every syllable is there to serve the song.

Aside from Bush, Amos, and Welch, there are a couple of other artists that sprang to mind. Anybody familiar with the work of the Achoress (AKA Catherine Anne Davies) would find a lot to love here, and weirdly, Gallery reminds me very much of the (best) Nick Cave album, No More Shall We Part, too – with the arrangement mirroring the structure of Cave’s work circa 2001. In fact if you stripped the vocal, it could happily have come from the same sessions.

All in all, I love everything about this track. Vocally, lyrically, and musically, it’s three minutes and thirty-five seconds of utter bliss. If this is a taster of what’s to come, then Emily Mercer could well be onto something extraordinary. Have a listen below, and check out 2019’s Transparency EP while you’re there.

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You can find Emily Mercer on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Bandcamp, and on her website.