Melbourne singer-songwriter Margo Mann is quickly carving out a distinct space in the alternative music landscape. Following the arrival of her double-single debut, 'Westgarth / Grace', which garnered glowing reviews for its "delightful theatricality" and "atmospheric story telling", she returns today with a striking, emotionally charged new cut titled ‘Shapeshifter’ via [PIAS] Australia.
Where her previous work built an inviting yet melancholic world, ‘Shapeshifter’ zeros in on the painful cost of personal compromise. It is a track that feels heavy with exhaustion, yet glimmering with the promise of breaking free. As Mann explains, “True intimacy lies in seeing and being seen, and in avoiding the risk of that, life becomes one long and lonely performance act. Shapeshifter charts the process of someone waking up from this conditioning, while not yet fully disentangled from it either.”
Originally conceived as a laid-back jazz number alongside her live band, the track underwent a profound evolution. Mann travelled to the South of France to collaborate with powerhouse producer Burke Reid, known for his work with Courtney Barnett and Julia Jacklin. Reid pushed for a sparse, striking framework that allowed the song's emotional core to take centre stage. “He encouraged me to use less flourishes on the keys, and we lent into this simplified, more heavy-handed playing style, tracking on the studio's Steinway grand piano,” Mann recalls.
This restrained approach yields incredible results. The record draws deeply from late-90s and early-2000s LA chamber pop, but its creative sparks came from unexpected places. While in the studio, the team referenced the cinematic tension of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 'Boogie Nights'. Specifically, it was the energy of the iconic pool scene, driven by Eric Burdon and War’s ‘Spill the Wine’, that inspired drummer Oly Bugg to craft the track’s distinct, driving rhythm.
Every element here feels entirely deliberate. Mann's despondent vocal delivery sits beautifully against an instrumental that swells with hope, striking a captivating balance between resignation and renewal. It all culminates in a central revelation. As Mann notes, “The lyric "life's not short it's long", is the anchor of the piece, the moment the meaning of the track clicks into place.”
You can stream ‘Shapeshifter’ right now on all major platforms, and be sure to follow Margo Mann on Instagram and Facebook.
