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Photo: Russell Tandy

Alternative and indie singer-songwriter mehro has dropped their long-awaited third album Trauma Lullabies, a collection of authentically written and beautifully crafted tracks. Leaning on inspirations such as Elliot Smith, the 24-year-old is bravely and eagerly continuing to explore their sonic capabilities, discovering an impressive mix of self-expressive, melancholic, and hauntingly beautiful sounds in the process. Poetically navigating the complex feelings of loneliness, self-doubt, and depression, alongside the processes of healing from trauma, mehro is giving a voice to often ignored yet ever-present internal struggles. It's perfect for anyone who loves a late-night playlist or an occasional cry sesh, and you can be certain that mehro will walk you through your worries hand in hand. 

Trauma Lullabies' nostalgic yet immediately inviting soundscapes supplement lyrics that take listeners through a layered emotional journey. Opening with a beautiful and compelling guitar line on "reason to live," mehro sings “Break your head away from the dirty little noose / Let's get out of this fucking room and get some sun / I know you don't wanna stay, but stick around and celebrate / We'll be leaving either way once we're through” before jumping into the determined chorus of “Until I find a reason to live / I'll find a reason not to die.” Pointedly and poignantly, mehro encapsulates a devastating and debilitating struggle with feelings of depression and loneliness but remains a soldier in the fight against their own mind. Further, he encourages listeners that we don’t have to have it all figured out because truly no one knows.

“trauma lullabies is a mosaic collection of my mind, soul, body and spirit," shares mehro. "It’s all of me and none of me wrapped in a pretty little bow for your amusement, joy and suffering. Whatever you need, whatever you are - I hope this reflects it back to you and gives you the precise thing you have been craving without knowing it.”

Lead singles “reason to live,” ”ketamine,” and “dopamine” were met with rave reviews from audiences on social media who were impressed by the songs and accompanying music videos. In a move that is extremely on brand for the multi-talented singer-songwriter, mehro has recently broadened his talents into directing, serving as co-director with Jennifer Morrison on a few of his own videos and impressively directing the single-shot, POV style music video for “dopamine” alone. Ambient track "oneiroi" slips in at the halfway point of the album, creating a feeling of impending doom with unintelligible vocalizations atop chanting, cyclical hums, and guitar phrases, before falling into a production-heavy rock motif to bring listeners into the latter half of the album. In just ten songs, mehro shares immense diversity in sound.

Perfectly exemplified in this album are the distinct, expressive artistic choices mehro is brave enough to share authentically and wholeheartedly. 

Listen to Trauma Lullabies below: