New music video from Tamar Berk

Tamar Berk’s career has been shaped by movement; across cities, across bands and across the ever-shifting sphere of her own creative impulses. Having made her mark in Chicago and Portland before settling in San Diego, she’s made an impact as a solo artist with a sound that pairs indie rock’s energy with power pop’s infectious pull. Her fiercely DIY approach to songwriting and production has earned her an audience that stretches far beyond her local scene, striking a chord with listeners around the world.

After years of playing in bands and building her own catalogue, Tamar stepped fully into the solo spotlight in 2020 with her debut single “Shadow Clues.” The following year she released “Better off Meditating” and her first album, The Restless Dreams of Youth. That record found her working alongside drummer Matt Walker, who’s known for his work with Morrissey, Garbage and Smashing Pumpkins as well as producer Sean O’Keefe, whose credits include Fall Out Boy and Beach Bunny. The album drew critical acclaim, ultimately earning a nomination for Best Pop Album and Album of the Year at the San Diego Music Awards.

But only months after her debut’s release, Tamar’s life was shaken by the death of her father. The loss became the emotional theme of her second album, Start at the End, which arrived in 2022. Taking on more production duties herself, she channelled grief into sharply written power pop anthems, proving her ability to transform personal strife into something both cathartic and widely affecting. She continued to expand her discography at a remarkable pace and by September last year had released her fourth album, Good Times for a Change.

Now, just months later, Tamar is preparing to release her fifth studio album in as many years titled OCD, set to drop next month. While she’s always written from a place of deep reflection, this project feels like her most personal and meaningful work yet, digging into the spirals of anxiety, obsessions, fears, memories and dreams, capturing it all with a mix of humour and heartbreak.

The album’s opening track and first single, “stay close by,” offers the first taste of what’s to come with a dreamy atmosphere and slow-building emotional aesthetic. Brought in by fuzzy guitar tones and hushed vocal leads carried by a gentle lilting rhythmic sway, the track flows with soft, rolling percussion and Tamar’s airy voice as she casts a spellbinding sound of poignant alternative pop music. Building the energy with pattering drums and the rising surge of instrumental layers, the track takes on an uptempo shoegaze vibe to forge a truly dazzling listening experience that’s impossible not to be moved by.

Paired with the single is a music video that features Tamar performing the song in settings from a brightly lit atrium to the scenic beauty of a colourful field, filtered through a lo-fi style that perfectly reflects the hazy quality of the music. With her highly anticipated forthcoming record arriving soon, Tamar Berk continues to shine on her incredible musical adventure and we can’t wait to see what she’s got in store next.

Watch the music video for stay close by below

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