Neuroticfish is the name of a German musical project whose styles borrow fr… Read Full Bio ↴Neuroticfish is the name of a German musical project whose styles borrow from electronic body music and synthpop, as well as other types of electronic music. It released music on the Dancing Ferret Discs record label.

Neuroticfish’s sole member was Sascha Mario Klein. Klein cites his musical inspirations as such bands as Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, and Depeche Mode, and began experimenting with music on his own in the early 90’s. After Neuroticfish was born, Klein did not make the typical efforts of a muscian to send out a demo; instead, he relied on the internet as a medium of expression for his music. Klein was eventually offered a place on a synthpop compilation called A Reflexion of Synthpop. From this point on, Neuroticfish gained popularity in the club scene, where he has made an impact ever since.

Klein gained a bit of notoriety after one of his songs contained the sample "Electronic body music is dead." It has since become somewhat of a catchphrase for Neuroticfish.

On January 4th 2008 the official Neuroticfish MySpace page had a message announcing that the band would cease to exist after its performance at the 2008 edition of the Wave Gothic Treffen festival in Leipzig, Germany.

In July 2012 the website was updated after the project seemed finished. The latest updates say that Sascha and Henning Verlage are working together during Winter 2012 and Spring 2013 on a new album.

In 2015 Neuroticfish released "A Sign Of Life", his first album in 10 years. It is exclusively sold at the band's page at Bandcamp, digitally, and physical albums only being sold at Neuroticfish's regular web page.

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Neuroticfish Lyrics

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Keep a secret
Every time I'm near to you
I blur the surface
In hope of getting close to you

Can you handle?
Let me handle this for you
You are unable

To put yourself through

Are you careful
Of the things I say or do
See them clearer
'Cause I'm getting close to you

I penetrate you
There is nothing you can do
Protect your secrets
In fact I'm getting close to you

Getting closer
Closer to your point of view
Never expected
Of what you've been through

Can I handle?
Can I handle this for you?

I am unable
To get so close to you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Neuroticfish's "Close" explore the desire to get closer to somebody else, but also the fear and anxieties that come with that closeness. The singer begins by acknowledging their own tendency to keep secrets, but also their desire to get closer to the person they are singing to. The lines "Keep a secret / Every time I'm near to you / I blur the surface / In hope of getting close to you" express this desire, but also hint at the singer's discomfort with vulnerability and intimacy.

The chorus of the song explores this tension further, with the singer asking if their actions and words are making the other person uncomfortable: "Can you handle? / Let me handle this for you / You are unable / To put yourself through / Are you careful / Of the things I say or do / See them clearer / 'Cause I'm getting close to you". The repetition of "getting close to you" emphasizes the central theme of the song: the desire for closeness, but also the fear of what that closeness could reveal.

In the second verse, the singer sings "I penetrate you / There is nothing you can do / Protect your secrets / In fact I'm getting close to you", suggesting that they are beginning to uncover the other person's secrets and vulnerabilities. The line "Getting closer / Closer to your point of view / Never expected / Of what you've been through" acknowledges that the singer has begun to understand the other person's experiences more deeply, but also implies that this understanding has come at a cost.

The final lines of the song, "Can I handle? / Can I handle this for you? / I am unable / To get so close to you", express a sense of resignation and disappointment. The singer has gotten closer to the other person, but still feels unable to fully connect with them. The repetition of "handle" emphasizes the theme of control and power dynamics that runs through the entire song, as the singer struggles to balance their desire for closeness with their fear of vulnerability.

Overall, "Close" is a complex and layered exploration of intimacy, vulnerability, and fear. Through its lyrics and haunting melody, the song captures the conflicting emotions that arise when we try to get close to somebody else.

Line by Line Meaning

Keep a secret
I want you to keep this information private

Every time I'm near to you
When I'm in your vicinity

I blur the surface
I try to hide my intentions and true feelings

In hope of getting close to you
So that I can approach you without suspicion

Can you handle?
Are you capable of dealing with this situation?

Let me handle this for you
I want to take care of it for you

You are unable
You are not equipped to handle this

To put yourself through
To go through this on your own

Are you careful
Do you take precautions

Of the things I say or do
Regarding my words or actions

See them clearer
Understand them better