New sonic force, The Cross Sea, reveals stunning debut single, “The Me that Waits” for Me at Marcata””
Introducing themselves with a haunting and emotionally raw debut, The Cross Sea unveil their first single, “The Me that Waits.” The track offers the first glimpse into the trio’s self-titled debut album, arriving early 2026.
Formed by Toronto songwriter Anna Mernieks-Duffield (Beams, Ace of Wands), acclaimed producer Kevin S. McMahon (Swans, Real Estate, The Walkmen), and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Liss, The Cross Sea craft a sound that is intimate, shadowy, and emotionally volatile.
With the opening lines, “Of course there’ll be a cost / But it won’t be a loss,” acoustic guitar and Mernieks-Duffield’s vocals lure the listener into an ambush: a trapdoor into a more visceral world of howling electric guitar and expressive drums.
“The Me that Waits honours the muse with careful regard, acknowledging that it can be both rewarding and reckless to heed its whispers,” says Mernierks-Duffield. “There are certain risks and sacrifices that come with being an artist, and with making change or disrupting a pattern in general. When I wrote that song, I was choosing to go out on my own and invest money that I didn’t really h ave into making an album with none of my usual collaborators. I provided a panacea of justifications, but truly, I was just following a wild desire that didn’t exist one moment and then in another heartbeat, became the only reality I could accept.
As much as there is a very practical side to me, it is really just there to stabilize the boat as I rock it, because my inner voice has a far more interesting story to write for me than any outer voice in society has.”
Echoing the emotional power of Kate Bush, the cutting intensity of PJ Harvey, and the surreal dread of Twin Peaks, the track sets the tone for a band unafraid to explore bold sonic and emotional terrain.
The single is accompanied by a moody and artful music video, created by Jess Price.
Quote from Editor
“A potent track about courageous self-reclamation. It acknowledges the inevitable cost of confronting the past, only to declare, ‘it won’t be a loss.’ A deeply satisfying emotional journey.”