Phoenix-based composer, painter, and songwriter Allan Jamisen’s latest single, “Closing In,” arrives as a deeply reflective piece born from intimate upheaval, decades-old poetry, and an international creative partnership that transforms private wounds into something unexpectedly universal. Originally written as a poem during a difficult period following a divorce while living in Denmark in the 1990s, the track eventually found new life through collaboration with French producer Olivier Zahm before being further refined alongside veteran producer John X Volaitis. Now it’s an atmospheric, genre-blurring work that brings cinematism to intimacy.
Right from the outset, “Closing In” establishes a mood of contemplation. Calm, floating instrumentation drifts across the soundscape as Jamisen’s deep voice enters, doing spoken-word with a sincere, concise smugness. He is like someone carefully sorting through difficult thoughts. He sings, “Sometimes it’s not right enough to live in my own skin,” pushing through with startling honesty, immediately pulling the listener into the song’s emotional core.
Then, little by little, the arrangement expands. Steady, rumbling beats begin to thump beneath shimmering synth textures, while subtle guitar flourishes flicker through the mix like distant memories surfacing unexpectedly. Jamisen wrestle with uncertainty, self-reflection, and emotional recovery, particularly when he describes his second-guessing instinct as “the wrong way down, a one-way street,” wittily portraying the circular trap of overthinking.
Meanwhile, one of the song’s most effective elements comes from the female backing vocals. She comes breathing, mimicking, and vocalizing “la la la” alongside Jamisen, bringing a melodious euphony to the song and his grounded delivery, with her ethereality.
All told, “Closing In” is a beautifully layered meditation on healing and transformation. Atmospheric yet approachable, melancholic yet hopeful, it proves that some of the most powerful songs emerge when artists dig deep and allow vulnerability to take the wheel.
STAY IN TOUCH:
INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan