close to u by Leea Clem Is Shadowy Dance Pop with Euphoria-Grade Seduction –

If Maddy from Euphoria made moody alt pop, it would struggle to match the same demure volition as the latest single, close to u, by the up-and-coming sensation Leea Clem. The independent Italian artist has stepped into a sharper phase of her career with a release that understands exactly how to weaponise desire without losing its dreamy echoes of yearning.

Vocal seduction drips over the shadowy progressive dance pop hooks as oscillations of cosmic retro-futurism make the production feel infinitely expansive. It is the kind of all-consuming earworm that refuses to resonate as sound alone; the swirling kaleidoscope of cinematic colour psychology creates a vignette of basement club lust as the beats sonically pump adrenaline straight into your veins.

After debuting in 2021 with A Universe Apart, releasing moving on through Sony Music distribution with support from Puglia Sounds, performing at Medimex Showcase and following with SWEET REVENGE in 2026, Clem already has the foundations of an artist ready to scale beyond underground admiration. Now as an independent entity, she’s more uninhibited than ever; if close to u is anything to go by, she’s at her zenith when refusing to soften herself and fit into someone else’s vision.

As a club anthem, prime material for international radio A-lists and a single with serious viral appeal, if close to u does not break into the mainstream, it will not be because it leaves anything to be desired. If anything, desire is the epicentre of close to u.

close to u is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast