Magi Merlin covers IDLES on bold new single POP POP POP

In the midst of a European tour, Magi Merlin releases a cover of English post-punk band IDLES’ song POP POP POP. Working with longtime collaborator Funkywhat, Merlin reinterpreted the track through a UK garage lens, emphasizing its rhythmic energy and adding melodic depth through layers of vocal harmonies. The result highlights her ability to transform influences into something distinctively her own by reimagining rather than replicating.

IDLES are a great inspiration for me, says Magi. I love their visuals and I think they give one of the best live shows out there right now. I also love the feeling I get when listening to their music, especially POP POP POP. It’s brutal, but delivered in such a soft way. The juxtaposition is so clever. I find the simplicity of the lyrics doesn’t take away from the impact they leave on the listener, that's very inspiring to me.

While UK garage might seem like a surprising stylistic choice for an originally guitar-based rock song, the idea makes perfect sense upon closer examination. The drums on the original song already live in a UKG pocket, you just need to speed them up to get the right groove, explains Magi. Apart from flipping the instrumental, I also loaded up the track with harmonies, especially in the hook. I don’t tend to shy away from vocal harmonies, it was my way of contributing a bit of myself to this version of the song.