VC Pines

"VC Pines just keeps getting better and better with every new track he releases" - JACK SAUNDERS, BBC RADIO 1

"Soul Pioneer" WONDERLAND

"VC Pines, something very special going on here" HUW STEPHENS, BBC RADIO 1

"Songs that speak of self-doubt and self-reliance in a constantly fluctuating world, it's perfect for these anxiety inducing times" CLASH

""Smoke Without Fire", a soulful blast of sax, squidgy synths and an especially groovy guitar line redolent of the one on "Use Me" by Bill Withers. The track comes from his forthcoming EP, Concrete, which you should definitely keep an eye out for." THE INDEPENDENT

"His tunes are huge, emotional stories that have the power to both devastate and reassure" DORK MAGAZINE

Following a hiatus in 2022 after the release of singles "Satellite" and "Be Honest", the follow-up to the highly-praised EP Concrete which received radio support from BBC Radio 1 (Jack Saunders), BBC 6Music (Chris Hawkins), BBC Radio 2 (Jo Whiley), BBC Radio London Introducing show, Radio X (John Kennedy), and Absolute Radio (Danielle Perry), as well as tastemaker coverage in CLASH, WONDERLAND, NOTION, The Independent, Official Charts, NPR, Under The Radar, Wordplay, Songwriting Magazine and many more, VC Pines aka Jack Mercer is now ready to kick off his new year with the hypnotic, groove filled new delight "Running".

Capturing more of the same warm and heartfelt aesthetic we saw glimpses of with "Be Honest", "Running" marks another rich and sensual addition to his quickly growing catalogue of late. Matching a sweet and alluring production with his own shimmering vocal performance once again, his latest endeavour marks another exciting step forward from an artist brimming with fresh and captivating ideas.

Speaking about the new release, he said, "Running is about loneliness. Never feeling like you really fit into a group of friends. You know people from different pockets of London who tend to drift in and out of their lives every weekend and then disappear for a while. It"s easier to hide addictions from people because no one’s really able to keep an eye on you. You hate being stuck in one place for too long, but there’s always someone telling you you need to take a breather from chaotic work life/social life."

"Running" marks the start of a new era for VC Pines. While the last year had taken its toll on the young artist, he has come out of the other side a new and more introspective individual. Focusing himself on a broader range of ideas and letting a more creative pursuit invade his musical orientation.

Elaborating on his sound to come, he adds, "I've definitely taken a more alternative direction, focusing more on contemporary and unique sounds and pairing them with soulful vocals. I love working with huge contrasts, so for me, using sounds as imagery as a way to paint a modern picture, paired with the occasional 'classic' instrument such as trombone or rusty xylophones, and a classic soul voice is a perfect juxtaposition. It all starts with writing a great song on one instrument, and then doing the best I can to fuck with it using influences from Childish Gambino, Glass Animals, Steve Lacy, Kendrick Lamar and King Krule producing a blend of London traffic with Hip Hop grooves and soulful melodies."

VC Pines also recently announced an intimate live show at Camden's MAP Studio Cafe on January 27th (now sold out) to celebrate the release of his latest single.