Establishing the mood with a hypnotic bass performance and astral guitar melodies, Kim McClay opens So Close with psychedelic minimalism before sharing the lyrics, “Everything′s fleeting, this city, your feelings, but I seem to be stuck on you…”
We immediately connect with the emotional depth and vulnerability that Kim shares. The track also has an undeniable cinematic allure, perfect for a film like the recent Netflix hit, Voicemails for Isabelle.
In essence, the song is about a relationship that almost became something real, but fell apart before it could last. Kim is stuck thinking about her muse who she loved and wonders what went wrong. She feels hurt because she believes that her love was never fully honest about the relationship. The message is super relatable, which is truly what makes this track so brilliant. We love the poetic prowess that Kim delivers and the raw authenticity that transmutes as Kim questions and reflects on her own role on whether she keeps repeating the same mistakes in love.
The build of the track into a glistening and nostalgic indie-pop-meet-folk vibe is serene and cohesive. Kim’s vocals really shine through, and we could all imagine her singing this on stage at The Bronze in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and fans of Alanis Morissette would absolutely be able to vibe with So Close.
The hook “so close to the real thing” really captures the main idea of the song. Kim and her muse were super close to a genuine, lasting connection, but somehow missed it. There are notions of melancholia, regret, and a desire to move forward and this is punctuated perfectly with an epic guitar performance leading to a zen and emotional outro.
Speaking on the record, Kim confesses, “I wanted to pose questions about value. What are we worth to each other? What do we owe our neighbors? Our family? Our friends? I wanted to touch on the importance of vulnerability- how valuable it is to turn into what’s uncomfortable and face it head-on.”
She adds with depth on the narrative, “I was hung up on the same person for two years. Someone that I never even dated, per se, but spent a lot of time with until things took a turn and he began to date someone else. Naturally, I began to question what I did wrong.”
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added So Close to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Kim McClay, including Velveteen Girls, How To Treat A Lady, and Goodbye!.