néomí – “Close”
Photo by Liz van den Akker
Surinamese/Dutch singer-songwriter Neomi Speelman, aka néomí, returns to us with “Close” and the promise of a forthcoming EP.
In case you haven't noticed, we tend to feature every tune we receive from néomí's camp, and "Close" finds her operating at the very peak of her craft. Opening with a simple, subdued rhythm from a shimmering electric guitar, we are immediately treated to the dynamic alt-pop vocal performance that has become one of her calling cards.
From there, an ethereal lead guitar expands the atmosphere, ushering in a stripped-back beat and additional layers of mellifluous vocals until the full-band performance arrives on the refrain. At this point, each instrument is firing on all cylinders: a finely tuned musical machine that swirls amid the track's emotionally conflicted subject matter.
As far as genre is concerned, néomí generally steers clear of tunes that would pack a dance floor, which is precisely why she resonates with us. For the vibe of our blog, anything faster than a toe tapper just won’t do, but “Close” has a gentle pulse that makes it perfect for both solitary introspection and rolling down the windows and cruising with friends.
According to néomí, “Close is a song that is actually very much about an unhealthy form of love… The push and pull relationship where you don’t want to be together but also don’t want to let go. It is about desperately holding on, going back and forth with each other’s emotions… Love can feel like a drug when it is felt like that, as if you can’t live without each other…”
“Close” is now available everywhere and the new EP Crunchy, Sad and Strangely Happy will hit the shelves on September 18 via Nettwerk. Connect with néomí: Bandcamp |Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
Upcoming live dates:
10.07.26 – Slotzeist Live, Zeist (Tamino support)
11.07.26 – Vijverfestival, Dilbeek
08.08.26 – Absolutely Free Festival, Genk
16-19.09.26 – Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg (date TBC)
03.10.26 – Vegafabriek, Kolderveen
08.10.26 – Patronaat, Haarlem
10.10.26 – EKKO, Utrecht
16.10.26 – Hall of Fame, Tilburg
17.10.26 – Rotown, Rotterdam
18.10.26 – Doornroosje, Nijmegen
22.10.26 – Trix, Antwerp
24.10.26 – Prachtwerk, Berlin
More music from néomí: “oh my darling“ “your girl” “garden” “someone new” “so I let you” “It’s Never Easy (Leaving Someone Behind)” “Trigger”