Music Review // HAPPIE "Close"

The sound on "Close", the new single from HAPPIE, is rather somber.  The song begins with these delicate string plucks, as it is both dramatic and slow to start.   As it goes on, there is a drum machine which brings in the beats but it doesn't ever really pick up the pace too much.  It feels rather chill, a little bit like Phil Collins musically and just also can remain minimal.

Lyrically, "Close" is about what the title says: "I just want you close but you're so far".  On the surface, this might seem like the type of song to sing about someone if you're in a long distance relationship or if they travel and so you don't see them as often as you'd like.   But this song is also about being in the same room as someone else and feeling like you're worlds apart.

As the lyrics also say: "I don't wanna be alone when I'm with you".  This idea is not something that I enjoy feeling, but as a concept it's interesting to me because there is really no good way to describe it.  Either you've felt it and you know or you're left thinking it's a contradiction to be alone with someone.   It's definitely not something I wish for people to feel though.

The idea of being "Close" in this song is when you are sitting at the kitchen table with someone, eating dinner, making conversation but you don't feel like you're in the same room- maybe you don't even feel like you're in the same country.   Being in different locations from someone you love is tough, but being in the same room as them yet feeling like you're in different locations is worse and the mood of this song really captures that.