SAN GABRIEL’S “CLOSE 2 U” IS A NOSTALGIC, SYNTH-SOAKED INDIE GEM

San Gabriel, the solo project of James Bookert, returns with “Close 2 You,” a deeply personal track written in the wake of losing someone he felt a strong emotional connection to. It’s not just a breakup song; it’s about absence, memory, and trying to process a bond that meant something real. You can feel the weight of that grief in every part of the track.

The song is drenched in feedback and reverb, creating a space that feels distant, foggy, and emotionally raw. It’s like trying to talk to someone in a dream—they're there, but unreachable. Bookert’s vocals drift in and out like a signal barely holding on, making the sense of loss feel even more real and present.

What makes it hit even harder is the fact that Bookert plays everything himself. Every sound, every note, every layered synth or beat comes from him. It’s a full-body release of emotion from one person pouring it all into the music. There’s something special about that kind of vulnerability.

“Close 2 You” doesn’t offer easy answers or tie things up neatly. It just sits with the ache and lets it ring out. But through that, there’s a sense of healing, too. It’s the sound of someone learning to live with the silence and trying to make peace with moving on.