Music
2025
MRCY
The very best of the modern British soul scene – now in a duo pack
One found his calling in North England, in a sleepy textile town with an unlikely sound system culture; the other in a church choir in South London that led to collaborations with Little Simz and Cleo Sol. It took a lockdown to bring Barney Lister and Kojo Degraft-Johnson together and make MRCY possible. And thank god, because the two complement each other perfectly. Lister's productions are sultry, playful, and exciting like those of SAULT and Knxwledge; Degraft-Johnson's vocals are energetic and timeless, reminiscent of the Northern soul movement, Motown's danceable cousin. It creates a flavorful, ultra-English cocktail that blows you away in three sips.
