Caleb Dee Opens Doors in "Closet Space"

Straight from the opening thump of Caleb Dee’s new single “Closet Space“, there’s a pull and curiosity of what’s behind those opening lines.

“Been a little while since you’ve went away

Found a pair of shoes in my closet space”

A blend of Charlie Puth, early John Mayer, and slices of pop/rock bands COIN and Bad Suns, Caleb Dee mixes new school production with old school hook-ability. The new single lands at a short two and a half minutes, but the expansion of textures and sounds makes it feel much longer. The aftereffects of hearing the layers of short clean guitar licks, deep piano plunks, and retro chimes only makes you want to hit repeat for another dose.

Caleb Dee uses the metaphor of closet space as a past relationship that seems to hang on him. That empty space is disheveled and the emptiness only draws deeper attention to what used to be there. It’s a door we’ve all stood at and opened. Halfway through the song Caleb opens up more as the song unfurls.

“Running round like a clown, got my heart on a string

Instagram got your man, still don’t feel a thing”

Supported by sparkling production that follows his lyrics, “Closet Space” becomes a rainbow of shining keyboards, building up. Disillusioned by the past relationship, Caleb pulls it back and writes it off as the way that it goes. As for anyone that has been fooled by hope, it’s easier said than done on letting go. The song is a bit of an open door into Caleb’s heart and that space sitting just behind his eyes. A door that we all choose who and where to open it for in our lives.

Caleb Dee’s other two singles showcase different dimensions of his songwriting. “2 Happy” is a faster pop dance track, while “Boxed Out” qualifies as a smoother singer-songwriter track with more dynamic vocals. Both songs just land at two minutes and quality as infectious.

As an emerging talent in the Twin Cities, Caleb Dee has perfected the art of leaving someone with wanting more. His short trifecta of singles is a brief tease into what could become a full catalog of heart stringed songs and pop classics, no matter what school you fall into.