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Eric Gabriel Sings a ‘Requiem’

By Jaci Jedrych

This reading of Alchemical Records content is to provide a multimedia experience for our audience while increasing the accessibility of our content to persons with hearing loss, low vision, dyslexia, physical or motor disabilities, or are on the autism spectrum.

Singer-songwriter and keyboardist Eric Gabriel’s newest track “Requiem” is a warm, indie acoustic dream.

Eric Gabriel originally hails from New York City, where he is a founding member of the band Melt, with whom he sings, writes songs, and plays. He is currently touring the United States with Melt. He made the move to the District for college, where he lives now. Eric Gabriel’s debut EP came out in 2021.

“I’m a senior at Georgetown finishing up my last semester,” Gabriel explains. “The first time I played ‘Requiem’ was at an open mic hosted by one of my friends in the spring––we all got together outside. It was also one of the first times I got to share or hear music with others since the pandemic began, so it felt pretty special. I’ve loved getting connected to other musicians at Georgetown and in D.C. and have tested out songs at art shares like that.”

“Living in D.C. for the past four years or so, the environment, of course, becomes a part of my writing as well. The best example is probably ‘Could Have Been,’ another song off my debut EP ‘So Much, Sometimes.’ The first verse goes:

Underneath the cherry trees
Listening to Tangled Up in Blue
Do you like it in DC?
What’s with all the airplanes speeding through

If you’ve ever spent time in Georgetown, you’d know an airplane flies overhead every couple minutes.  It’s something that really stood out to me when I started school here, but also it amazed me how quickly I stopped thinking about it and it faded to the background,” Gabriel adds.

Gabriel’s track, “Requiem,” may be simple in terms of instrumentation, but it is effective. The beauty of the voice along with the purity of the piano transports the listener into Gabriel’s world.

On the inspiration for the song, he said, “When I was living in Dublin for a few months in fall 2019, I used to go to Arthur’s Pub around the corner from my place. They would have this great trio playing a free show every Monday night. This song’s about one of those nights. It’s also inspired by a Robert Louis Stevenson poem by the same name.”

Fans of Hozier or D’Angelo should check out Eric Gabriel’s music.

Follow our Alchemical Weekly Spotify Playlist for this and more great music featured on the site.

Jaci Jedrych

Jaci Jedrych is a World Politics student at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She loves going to concerts and exploring different genres, and has a passion for arts and news writing.

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