Tamar Berk – “stay close by”: A Shoegaze-tinged Longing

Tamar Berk’s first single from her upcoming album OCD, “stay close by,” unfolds like a long, deep exhale—lush, hazy guitars wash over the listener as her voice drifts through spiraling thoughts and quiet yearning. It’s a dreamy, introspective plea for connection, capturing the tension between hope and uncertainty. Fans of Slowdive and Alvvays will feel immediately at home in its shoegaze-tinged textures.

“This song is about a hopeful optimism that hasn’t quite panned out yet,” Berk says. “I like the idea that I will keep saying that we're going to do things… because in a strange way it keeps me hopeful and thinking of the future.” That sense of fragile hope permeates the track, a mix of emotional rawness and melodic clarity that lingers long after the final note.

Berk’s signature blend of fuzzed-out guitars, dreamy alt-pop textures, and lyrical introspection positions her as a fiercely independent voice in indie rock. Drawing on classical piano, early Disney soundtracks, and inspirations from Bowie to Elliott Smith, she transforms overthinking into immersive sonic storytelling. “stay close by” sets the tone for OCD, promising an album that dives deep into looping thoughts, emotional undoing, and the strange beauty of human obsession.