Alice Merton smashes expectations on bombastic sophomore single “Hit The Ground Running”

“Hit The Ground Running” employs a cacophony of percussion, drums, and even brass, backing Merton’s crystal clear vocal to dramatic effect. “No Roots” saw Merton toying with eccentricity and unexpectedness, but “Hit The Ground Running” is the singer's pop gem, its chorus rich with emotion and theatrical bombast.

“I needed to write a song that reminded of what I want in life,” Merton explains of the track. “An empowering song that makes other people and myself want to be the best they can be, that encourages them to find that inner drive and let it run loose. To not always wait for opportunities in life to happen but to start making your own. I wanted to recreate the sound of running, so me and my producer spent long nights playing around with different sounds and different basslines, trying to make it sound as energizing and powerful as possible.”

That “No Roots” could be outshone by Merton’s following release was an unexpected but nonetheless welcome surprise. Both tracks, accompanied by a further pair titled “Jealousy” and “Lie To My Face”, will appear on Merton’s debut EP, released tomorrow.