Lo-Fi Rock from Eric Gabriel

Eric Gabriel has already left a mark on the indie music scene as the founder of Melt, a Brooklyn-based band that’s won over audiences with its soulful and organic sound. Since forming in 2017, Melt has racked up tens of millions of streams, establishing itself as an indie sensation through a string of well-received singles and the 2021 EP West Side Highway.

Their journey culminated in the release of their debut album, If There’s a Heaven, in September last year, a record produced by Sam Evian, known for his work with Big Thief and Cassandra Jenkins. While his work with Melt has been a defining part of his career, Eric Gabriel has also been quietly crafting his own musical path as a solo artist.

First stepping out on his own in 2020 with the debut single “Tara Street,” he followed it up with a second single that same year before putting his solo project on hold. Now, after several years of focusing on Melt, he’s returned to his own sonic universe with a collection of new material leading up to his first solo album, Samara, produced by Philip Weinrobe, who’s worked with artists like Adrienne Lenker and Florist.

Now, bringing us the perfect taste of his sound, he shares the third single lifted from his new LP with the track titled “Long Gone.” Distilling a lo-fi, stripped-back approach, the track was recorded almost entirely live to tape, free from click tracks, headphones, or isolation booths. With minimal overdubs, it captures a pure, spontaneous energy that feels intimate and immediate throughout.

Jumping straight in with the rustling shuffle of drums, the pulse of bass and buzz of stuttered synth tones, Eric’s subdued yet commanding vocals spin catchy melodic leads above. Carried by the marching roll of the dusty drums, the arrangement flows through bursts of rhythmic shifts and slick instrumental runs.

Reaching an epic crescendo of lively synth leads that flutter and bleep above the steady groove of the instrumentation, Eric’s smooth, lightly processed vocals return in the finale as the track closes with sputtering rhythm. It’s a superb showcase of his fiercely original sonic vision and performance panache, captured in an innovative fashion that’s sure to impress both new and existing fans alike.

Listen to Long Gone below

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