The Merkin Dream have been compared time and again to the French band Air, but that's been quite a silly comparison, as the two sound nothing alike. There is one song on their debut, self-titled The Merkin Dream, that uses a strange vocal effect made popular by Zapp and Roger, Snoop Dogg, Air, and Daft Punk called the vocoder, but that's just about the only similarity. The Merkin Dream, on their debut, have tried to create an interesting recording that blends certain machine-like elements of electronic music, while at the same time retaining some of the organic and more lifelike elements of indie music, à la Sonic Youth or the Pixies. Overall, the Merkin Dream have achieved this. This is a fine recording that seems to breathe with new life. There are parts of this disc that are comparable to some of Moby's work as well, but for the most part the Merkin Dream have created an strong and crafty disc that seems to even have a bit of a dub feel. The Merkin Dream's debut recording is consistent, bold, and a good work overall. ~ Matt Borghi