Friday this week sees the release of MILK POOL, the candidly intimate new album from Merpire (Naarm / Melbourne-based Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt). Blending ‘sexy and safety’ together, the songs manage to be hypnotic and playful at the same time. Check out our chat below for a glimpse into how the album was formed, early musical exposure, and some clandestine plans for the future…

Hey, how are you and whereabouts in the world are you right now?

Hi, I am a little cold but content – sitting with my hot water bottle in my lap at my desk in the bay window of my room in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia.

Your new album Milk Pool is due for release soon, how much of a departure is it from what you’ve done before?

I would say it’s not a drastic departure from my first record, Simulation Ride. More of a building up and out from that world. An expansion in every direction – sonically, lyrically, emotionally. From collecting experiences of joy and hardship since the first record, I’ve grown bolder and more confident in my production ideas. It’s probably just the gift of getting older too, giving less fucks what anyone thinks.

Making these choices is helped greatly by the strong, long-standing friendship I have with two of the producers on the record, James Seymour and Elizabeth M Drummond. I trust them and their truly genius, intuitive ideas. We have a language we use to find quirky sounds to allow for more vulnerability and more creativity to shine through the recordings. I’m very grateful for this, it’s rare.

With this record, I wanted to express more of the darker and sexier side of me. Many of the songs are my expression of reclaiming safety in feeling sexy. Safety and sexy are historically not two feelings that sit together for me. I know I’m not alone in this and I’m hoping these songs of reclamation can be helpful for listeners who can relate. Writing music that feels like a safe, controlled darkness is a space for me and the listeners to confess or share while connecting, without needing to say anything directly.

And how was the recording process, do you go into the studio knowing exactly how you want things to sound or does it evolve once you’re there?

I think one thing that makes this album so special is that I recorded it in 4 different places and over a year. I actually did that with the last record too. That was the luxury of being able to take my time and a really relaxed approach to recording. It takes the pressure off and allows me to zoom out and make this beautiful Frankenstein’s monster of an album.

While writing on guitar, I often get melodies or riffs for other instruments pop up in my head, as well as textures so I’ll make note of these for studio time. I also save songs in a playlist from other artists whose vocal sound, or production element I’m drawn to. Sometimes it’s a mixing reference like being drawn to where something sits in the mix. Once in the studio with these people I trust and have a similar brain to, I’m very open to others ideas that come up. It’s really about what the song is calling for rather than trying to control and apply any preconceived ideas that may not need to stay.

What’s the story of one of the tracks?

Rosanna, produced by Elizabeth M Drummond, is one of my many favourites on the record. It’s got this stalking, sinister feel. It’s tragic and sad and sexy yet light and playful in the verses. While the details in the story are made up, the feelings and the situations in the story have come up for me in my life. I’m leaving this one up to the listener to decide what it’s about. I think it’ll change depending on what you think of in your own life when you hear the chorus, ‘No matter how good we get, I think we’re in trouble, baby’. Is it a breakup? Is it two friends fighting against sexual chemistry? Is it both? I wrote it on a friends’ acoustic guitar in their room and sent it to Liz (Elizabeth M Drummond) straight away. We would always send each other song ideas. She literally had one go at producing it and she did a stunning job at deepening the heartache in the story. It’s like she grabbed the heart of the song and tightened her fist around it a little harder. I love it.

Can you fill us in on the Naarm/Melbourne music scene where you’ve been based – favourite local artists and venues?

The talent in Naarm is seriously unbelievable. The heartbreaking thing about that is what we continue to be up against – “cultural cringe”, cost of living, the government pulling funding from grants, the way we carry the state of the world in our hearts so heavily and the lack of respect from our wider society / economy. Despite all of this, we’re stronger together. We share tips, kitchens, stages, bands, music gear, couches, contacts. I have too many favourite artists but here’s a bunch who have been releasing some stunning stuff in the last couple of years – Elizabeth M. Drummond, Hannah McKittrick, Public Figures, Fan Girl, Planet:Pain, Garage Sale, Mallrat, World’s Best Neighbours, Juice Webster, Armlock, Mika James.

Favourite venues include Northcote Social Club, Corner Hotel, Merri Creek Tavern, Croxton Bandroom, The Old Bar, Howler, Forum.

What kind of music was playing in your house when you were growing up?

My dad would vacuum on the weekends and he’d blast, and I mean BLAST Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Beatles. I think my first introduction to rock music was being awoken to the sound of Robert Plant wailing – terrifying for a little kid, but the fear turned to curiosity, which turned to love and an obsession for music obviously.

You can choose three albums to keep on your playlist forever – what are you going for?

Jeez, that is so tricky. There’s not enough time and I don’t have a good enough memory to nail this question so I’m going to slightly cheat and firstly say a compilation of Debussy, Vivaldi, Mozart and Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, Elizabeth M. Drummond – Congratulations EP and my own album, MILK POOL!? haha I don’t want to lose any memory of that!

Your socials describe your music as ‘living somewhere between the rom-com and horror movie sections’ in your mind. If you could soundtrack any film past or present, what would you choose?

Looove this question. The individual songs on my album would call for some specific scenes – ‘a second coming of age’ or ‘coming of sexiness’. A couple of dark, sinister/stalking scenes, definitely a montage where the whole song plays out the whole scene, a car chase. It’s a tie for me between Swimfan and Britney Spears’ Crossroads.

So what’s next – are there live dates on the horizon and what else does 2025 have in store for you?

There sure are. I’m about to take to the skies for a solo East Coast tour of Australia. After that, I have a couple of festivals with my band such as Town Folk Fest in Castlemaine, Victoria. I’ve got a few more shows planned for the year but alas, I cannot say any more than that. I’ve also got a few visual surprises underway, collaborating with other artists that I’m directing, but again, my lips are sealed I’m afraid!

MILK POOL is released on 4th July 2025 – pre-order here

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Interview by Siobhan
Header image by Rick Clifford

Published 1st July 2025