Wellington four-piece Merrin ‘s debut is a self-professed selection of sultry soul-infused rock.

Groove is in abundance and the energy levels are consistently kept up, the five tracks on offer have more in common with Skunk Anansie than Sly & The Family Stone. Merrin’s hard edge and big choruses are the winning ingredient.

Can’t Drain Me Dry is the funkiest moment with its tight rhythmic stops and brilliant transition between grooving verses and rock choruses.

Fill The Need is an obvious radio track with its spacious approach to instrumentation and vocalist Charlie Phillips’ soaring vocals.

Sober Reminder is a melancholy closer and possibly the EP’s strongest moment, a somewhat stylistically confusing listen ends with the band hitting their stride.

Sounding too Kiwi can sometimes be taken as a criticism, but this is Merrin’s strength. Rockingly Aotearoan.