On the surface of it, this is a very simple love song – lyrically visiting regret and memories in equal measure.
After an EDM intro, we’re suddenly left with simple piano chords sitting in space, right on the top of each bar, with a gentle vocal that’s delivered very close to the mic. The pensive atmosphere that these choices make are slowly lifted up and forced to move as burbles of syncopated synth arrive to inject urgency into the rhythm – and then the ubiquitous finger snaps conspire with said synth to invigorate the whole.
Before we get to the broken down chorus (‘I miss your body / I miss your body / I miss your body close’), there’s a wonderful see-sawing vocal melody that drills into your head with its immediacy. All the choices of instrumental layering feel careful, and arrive and exit the mix with subtlety and skill.
Then in come the dance synths and drums with full force. We get slabs of syncopated bass, white noise sweeps and a keyboard rhythm that’s reminiscent of the Todd Terry remix (and hit version of) Missing by Everything But The Girl.
Where Close homes in on a pop vocal sensibility is with the main hook – the surprising notes that the melody lands on to deliver the word ‘close’ are extremely catchy and we look forward to that coming around each time.
It’s a direct song, and a mixture of longing and euphoria and hypnosis. When the drop comes around each time, I felt I wanted it to go on longer – and that has to be a good thing.
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