Acclaimed indie power-pop virtuoso Tamar Berk returns with “stay close by,” a breathtakingly intimate single that serves as both invitation and emotional blueprint for her forthcoming fifth solo album ocd, arriving September 5th across all platforms. This isn’t merely a song—it’s a sonic confession wrapped in gauzy guitars and aching vulnerability, crystallizing the delicate tension between yearning for connection and protecting one’s heart.
Born from a spontaneous late-night creative surge, “stay close by” emerged as the final piece of Berk’s ocd puzzle, despite opening the album. This impulsive genesis perfectly captures the song’s essence: an unexpected journey through emotional landscapes that feel simultaneously familiar and mysteriously off-center. Berk crafted this track as the perfect introduction to pull listeners into her world while subtly telegraphing the psychological spirals awaiting discovery.
The result is nothing short of mesmerizing. Berk weaves together a lush tapestry of distortion, hypnotic rhythms, and haunting vocals that shimmer with Big Muff fuzz and layered synthesizer textures. It’s a sound that defies easy categorization— it embodies the best elements of both shoegaze and pop. This sonic alchemy creates something that feels both cultish and commercial, dripping with underground authenticity while possessing undeniable mainstream appeal.
Lyrically, “stay close by” captures those tender, half-formed moments between dreaming and action. Berk mines the poetry of intimate plans and gentle procrastination, crystallized in the refrain: “we always say we should get high… and go for a ride.” These lyrics inhabit that liminal space where genuine connection blooms—intimate, unhurried, and beautifully human in their casual vulnerability.
“I wanted the first track and single to feel a little mysterious, a little off-center,” Berk explains. “Something that sounds familiar but also surprises you and makes you curious about what’s coming next.”
The accompanying music video, helmed by longtime collaborator Brandon Mosquera, mirrors the song’s quiet emotional pull with intimate visuals that offer a window into Berk’s inner world. It’s a perfect visual companion to a track that demands both attention and contemplation.
ocd represents Berk at her most emotionally raw and musically ambitious, exploring themes of anxiety, repetition, and the constant struggle to maintain emotional equilibrium. The album is shaped by spirals of thought, fear, and memory—psychological terrain that Berk navigates with fearless honesty and remarkable musical sophistication. “stay close by” acts as both mission statement and emotional roadmap for this deeply personal journey.
Berk’s path to this artistic pinnacle has been one of continuous reinvention and geographical evolution. From her Cleveland origins through Chicago’s vibrant alternative scene of the ’80s and ’90s, she helped shape the underground landscape as a founding member of Starball and Sweet Heat, releasing music on revered indie labels including Thick Records, Minty Fresh, and Kill Rock Stars. Her creative partnership with her husband in the electro-punk duo The Countdown added another dimension to her artistic palette, while her Portland years saw her exploring garage and prog-influenced territories with The Pynnacles and Paradise.
Now San Diego-based, Berk has spent the past five years cultivating a celebrated solo career that showcases her evolution as both songwriter and sonic architect. Each of her previous four albums earned Best Pop Album nominations at the San Diego Music Awards, testament to her consistent artistic excellence and growing recognition within the indie community.
The genius of “stay close by” lies in its masterful balance of drive and delicacy. Berk’s otherworldly vocals serve as the composition’s emotional anchor, seamlessly navigating between calm, soothing passages and soaring, high-pitched moments that command attention. Her voice acts as both guide and confidant, leading listeners through carefully crafted emotional terrain while maintaining an intimate, almost conversational quality.
The instrumental arrangement reveals Berk’s sophisticated understanding of sonic layering. Fuzzy guitar riffs and chord progressions create a perfect backdrop for her vocals, while occasional melodic themes and harmonies add textural complexity. The bass work provides warm, intricate foundation that binds the entire arrangement together, offering groove and depth that elevates the song’s emotional impact. Meanwhile, tastefully assembled percussion keeps everything in perfect rhythmic alignment, dictating pace while allowing space for the song’s more ethereal elements to breathe.
What emerges is the sound of an artist ordering her thoughts, making sense of memory and moments, examining life’s patterns and psychological loops with remarkable clarity. “stay close by” succeeds in transforming Berk’s most intimate thoughts into something profoundly relatable and sonically rewarding. It’s music that wraps around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go long after the final notes fade, demanding repeated engagement to fully appreciate its intricate emotional architecture.
As her first standalone single of 2025, following last year’s critically acclaimed full-length “Good Times For A Change,” “stay close by” establishes Tamar Berk as an artist unafraid to explore the complex intersections of vulnerability and strength. This is candy-coated sonic exploration with an abrasive edge—music that offers healing through honest self-examination.
For newcomers to Berk’s artistic universe, “stay close by” provides the perfect entry point into her world of deep sonic experimentation and luxuriant atmospheric construction. For longtime admirers, it represents another evolution in an already remarkable catalog that continues to surprise and reward careful listening.
“stay close by” is more than a single—it’s a statement of artistic intent from a musician at the height of her creative powers, offering a tantalizing preview of the emotional and sonic depths ocd promises to explore.
OFFICIAL LINKS: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | SoundCloud | Bandcamp | Spotify | Website
More Stories
James Malcolm Band Kindles Hope with Their Soul-Stirring Duet “I’ll Be the Fire”
The Evolution of EH: Rediscovering Power and Precision on “Reflect (Remix/master)”
Julia Thomsen, Marie and Hollie Kenniff Illuminate the Ambient Realm with “The Distance That Held Us”