Limbo Days - Closer To You (Single) + 10 Questions

Manchester based soul, jazz and funk artist Limbo Days, the solo project of Elliot Gaspar, has shared his new single “Closer To You”, the second taste of forthcoming debut album How To Get Up & Fly, arriving 2 October via his own Big Earth Records imprint.

Built around acoustic guitar and Gaspar’s warm, conversational vocals, “Closer To You” captures the nervous early stages of falling for someone, where everyday thoughts gradually turn into finding the courage to make a move. “Really, it’s about chasing the idea of love, and the possibility of it,” Gaspar explains. Recorded at drummer and engineer Ben Roberts’ home studio in Wrexham, the track follows previous single “Let’s Communicate” and offers another glimpse into the 11 track debut.

Limbo Days will also performing at his album launch party in Manchester, at Band on the Wall, on 1 October.

Limbo Days sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

When I was around 6 years old, I went to a family friend's house who had a piano. Their daughter of a similar age to me was having piano lessons at the time. She hopped on to play a piece she'd learnt. I hopped on after, trying to suss it out. I went home, and apparently that night I'd learnt to play it pretty much note for note on a little keyboard we had at home. So the family friend listening on the other end of the phone was like "this boy's musical! He needs lessons!", and that's one of my most significant early musical memories! 

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

I love Sergio Mendes, though unfortunately can't work with him anymore :( Limbo Days came from being inspired by artists that produce themselves, like King Krule, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, and I was inspired to do the same. So, I'd love to work with those artists. Currently I'm very much into a lot of the stuff coming out of modern soul labels like Colemine, Daptone, Big Crown. I would love to work with Marcos Valle, Jordan Rakei, Jalen Ngonda, Joey Quinones. I love collaborating, even though Limbo Days is a solo project, it's also fuelled by collaboration. My solo down time is the coal, and collaborators bring the spark for the fire.

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

I've just finished producing my debut album, "How To Get Up & Fly", so I'm prepping for a 2nd October 2026 release, with vinyl too! (You can get them at limbodays.com) I’ve also planned a 4 date UK and Ireland tour, visiting Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London. (Dates also on the website). The album is a mix of piano rock, bossa nova, funk and soul. I like to listen to some quite niche stuff, but the sound's built around what I listened to in my teens, the indie rock side, with what I listen to now, which is the more soul, funk and latin stuff. The theme of the album is optimism, and achievement. It's turning ideas into physical form, getting up consistently after getting knocked down, and in its mission and statement inspiring others to do so too. 11 tracks - all independently produced, even the tour. 

4. How would you describe your sound?

I kind of touched on it before, but the Limbo Days sound is soul music with Northern English storytelling. There's spices of Latin, funk, and herbs of piano rock in there too. It's intimate at times, but also very fun and collaborative. The piano stuff naturally falls into more ballady, or quite Stevie Wonder, then I find the guitar more rhythmic, so the guitar-based songs lead more into funk and bossa nova. When people ask, I say, imagine Tom Misch meets Stevie Wonder meets Elton John - but even that doesn't fully put the finger on it. I think it takes a listen to understand. 

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

My proudest moment is finally getting an album of material together, something people will soon be able to hold, with beautiful messages through it; A timestamp of this period of my career - All independent too. I came to the conclusion that you can't wait around for other people to actualise your dreams, you've got to pursue what you want to do, no matter how difficult sometimes (which it has been), but through that you grow stronger, and you get to see and learn how to do what you ultimately want to do! :) 

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

My advice? Keep at it, and focus on what you're doing and creating around you. The whole journey is pointless if you don't love what you're doing. I get that's it's hard at times, but you should always be the musician that you are - free and creatively expressing. ALWAYS be a student. I find that staying inspired reminds me why I actually love making music, and shows me there's always somewhere higher to go, as well as seeing what is possible from people who have achieved what I would also like to. You could be a student to people in your local area, as well as your big idols. There's always something to learn. To finish, it's important to share what you're doing. You've got a gift that deserves to be shared with the world, everyone does. 

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

I'm loving James Emmanuel - the emotion and messages behind his music really resonate with me, especially after seeing him live. Patchwork Inc - the side-project of Durand Jones and the Indications guitarist Blake Rhein, I'm loving their new album. Funnily enough I did the live sound engineering at a venue for a band recently, and now I can't stop listening to them. They're called King Zepha, and they're a ska/ rocksteady band from Yorkshire. Super cool if you're into James Hunter Six, or Bob Marley. The song Al Baba, about a Leeds takeaway, is probably my favourite.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Albums on rotation: King Zepha's Northern Sound by King Zepha, More Patchwork by Patchwork Inc, Samba 68 by Marcos Valle, Tim Maia 1973, and El Rico Sabor De by Porfi Jimenez. Good bit of homework there for ya!

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

I love going on walks. I find it so therapeutic, especially in nature. It helps ease my mind and also helps generate ideas. I come home and tend to journal everything. I journal every day, meditate, always try and do a bit of exercise every day. I like socialising where I can, making dinners for friends. I don't consider myself a foodie, but others reckon I am - I'm considerate about what I eat. 

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

1. A piano or some form of keyboard 2. A guitar - usually my Fender Classic Vibe Squier Strat, and 3. In the box, my "digital" studio, I'd probably say the UA Ampex Master Tape Plugin - I've been throwing that on everything recently and it adds so much life and glues everything together. An easy fixer.