Steph’s Lightning 100 DJ Pick of The Week this week is “Closer” by Vlad Holiday!
Rarely does the brand of artist emerge with the genre-blending capabilities wielded by one Vlad Holiday. The Romanian-born Holiday has been inventive, injecting touches of lofi and bedroom production to sleazy garage and alt rock, with occasional flourishes of hip-hop and psychedelic. Given his tenure, Holiday might not be a shoe-in for a collaboration with Kacey Musgraves, though he skillfully coaxes out an unfamiliar yet fitting new angle from her on their recent release “I Don’t Wanna Party Anymore.” The collab is the logical next step for Holiday following his move to Nashville in 2022. “Closer” is the latest in a steady stream of singles.
Co-written with Cage the Elephant’s Matthew Shultz (another recent collaborator), “Closer” embodies some of the most distinct and signature quirks of the two’s respective styles. The atmosphere of the track is tangible. Hazy, ghostly, verbed-out vocals are cut cleanly with a vintage organ and percussion flourishes that are almost spooky. Holiday is grave in his yearning, his pleas only enhanced by the sulking groove. The bridge is one to behold, an impressive display of songwriting as the song momentarily comes back down to the ground with a full stop only to be sent up to the clouds again. A masterclass of vision and sound manipulation, “Closer” is an inventive addition to Holiday’s resumé.
While Holiday has been steadily releasing music since 2017, “Closer” arrives as the third single to his debut album. My Favorite Drug arrives November 15th, with three tracks, including “I Don’t Wanna Party Anymore” with Musgraves, being the teasers. Holiday just concluded a run of opening slots for Cage the Elephant, and played the Blue Room last week.
Tune in to 100.1 FM or lightning100.com all day to hear “Closer” by Vlad Holiday, Steph’s DJ Pick of the Week! Share your thoughts on the track by tagging #L100DJPicks on Twitter!
