Liam Mera Kai: Tracks That Shaped My Sound

Blurring the lines between rap, alt-R&B, and soulful songwriting, South London’s Liam Mera Kai is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing voices in UK music. His latest single ‘I WANDER’, taken from his upcoming debut EP, is a smooth, introspective journey through doubt, movement, and self-discovery, wrapped in a laid-back groove that masks its emotional weight.

With influences ranging from Loyle Carner to Paolo Nutini, Liam’s genre-fusing sound is thoughtful, unpredictable, and unapologetically honest. Following the success of ‘wishbone’, and with more releases on the way, Liam is carving out a space for music that makes you feel as much as it makes you think—and proving that getting a little lost might just be the point.

I Wonder Why – Joesef

The first time I heard Joesef’s voice I practically gasped. The modern-day soulfulness. The dream-like melodies. The aura. I admire his take on bedroom-pop and the fusion with jazz elements. Add to this those buttery vocals and it becomes hard not to appreciate this nonchalant, natural swagger that many would be jealous of. That voice is one of the reasons that singing is just as important to me as rapping. I saw him support Paolo Nutini, another one of my biggest musical inspirations, at the OVO Hydro a few years back. To see them both on the same night was a hell of a lot of soul and it just doesn’t get much better than that.

In Pursuit - Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn

UK Dance was a big thing to me growing up, but so were introspective talkers. Never did I think that someone could combine those two worlds. With these two guys from Brighton, there is a particular emotion in their music that I struggle to find elsewhere. One thing that stands out is their realness, both in their personalities and in their sound. They’re vocal about their struggles, honest about their music and there is definitely no smoke screen: it’s just them. The minute you hear Frankie’s voice you can guarantee the authenticity. The realness. Reflected in their choppy flows and the blend of both blunt and thought-provoking wordplay, I wanted to bring that same kind of realness to the EP. To me, talking is just as powerful as rapping and I have to give the duo much of the credit for proving that. To this day, this tune continues to stop me in my tracks whenever it plays.

How many miles - Mk.gee

As many young artists do, I have this obsession with “A Colours Show”. One day, I’m sat in my room at uni and this video plays: a guy just sat on his own with his Strat, plays a 45 second introduction that made me feel something that only music could make me feel. Immediately, I was hooked. The experimental sounds of recent, combined with his impressionistic, daring mindset towards where he wants his music to sit, encourages musicians to create art that is purposely imperfect and raw. I love that so much. All his work with Dijon is insane too. Anything that expressive is inspiring. The genre-bending style of the recent record particularly inspired a song called “skin” that sits at the end of the EP.

Ottolenghi - Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei

It’s tough to argue against the landscape that Loyle has sculpted. Unafraid to touch on subject matters that were not necessarily associated with the genre, he introduced a space in UK rap that allowed people to consider what they really wanted from rap music. A space that many artists feel extremely grateful for. Instantly recognisable, his sound is distinct but also so relatable. Gentle, yet raw. That’s what did it for me. Even better, all of this sincerity often sits in this kick backed, Dilla-inspired, groovy, jazz landscape?! There was no way he was missing this list. Add to this the identity that Jordan brings to anything he touches and you land on something golden. It only takes a quick glance at his catalogue and credits to see that.

I wanted “it’s fine once you’re in” to bring a similar kind of reflectiveness in its lyricism and feel by delving into less explored topics.

No Halo – Brockhampton

Man, I miss these guys. The world’s greatest boyband. I hadn’t listened to many US rappers that really opened up my mind to different ways rap could sound. Their production was crazy and they spoke about what they wanted to speak about. Although much of their catalogue is bold and energetic, it was their more delicate offerings that particular did that for me. They do such an amazing job at combining melodic moments with coarse rap elements. “No Halo” holds a special place in my heart. The use of the female vocal sample in the hook coupled with this unapologetically earnest storytelling throughout, was a pretty awesome reminder that the words we use are powerful. They hold value. They are meant to be listened to. Throughout the project I would keep coming back to these guys to remember the importance of balance; we can have fun with this while also creating something meaningful.