From spring to software, I’ve got too many reverbs on hand to count. Heck, I have three different sizes of spring reverb tanks in my modular case, from a large one that spans almost 100 HP to a tiny blue one that looks like it came out of a vending machine. It’s not that I’m on a quest for the perfect do-it-all holy grail reverb (which, of course, doesn’t exist) the way that a guitar player might seek out the perfect fuzz, it’s just that reverb—almost no matter what type—can always find an application in my music, whether it’s for lead vocals, synth snare, or just ambience. While it’s fun to try out different ones, the ones that I normally reach for are the reverbs that have a vibe of their own right out of the box. Such is the Meris Mercury 7. Inspired by the movie Blade Runner, with the famous soundtrack by Vangelis, the Mercury 7 has a mood all its own. I must admit that I hadn’t seen the movie until a few years ago, and I watched it because of the pedal. I grew up in a household with no TV, computer, video games, etc., which I suppose is why as an adult I’m obsessed with TV, video games, etc., and until my mid-thirties hadn’t seen too many movies. I’ve been on a tear ever since, probably watching too much of everything, and after my initial viewing of Blade Runner (I’ve seen it twice now), I fell under the spell of its soundtrack, much like the folks at Meris must have, finding enough inspiration in it to create their only reverb pedal to date as an homage. Mercury 7 is a lovely-sounding pedal. With two modes, Ultraplate and Cathedra, it covers a surprising amount of ground. Ultraplate is a go-to for me when I want more grounded, earthy reverbs, but it’s Cathedra (yep, no “l’) that gets me every time. Putting it on almost anything takes me somewhere, and puts me in a particular headspace and zone that I just don’t get with any other reverbs that I’ve tried. It’s a magical, mysterious, slightly metallic sound and it’s very engaging with plenty to shape the sound with as well.