Long Beach five-piece Skin Mag capture a dreamy essence on new track “Tonight Show”, a resounding success with hypnotic, layered guitar work and a psych-friendly vocal presence. The captivating aesthetic combines with haunting lyrics that depict “a dichotomy of social isolation and the need to feel normal,” illustrating “the inexplicable phenomenon of nighttime paranoia surrounding the reality of your life.” The pause in rhythm at the three-minute mark is especially stellar in leading to the ensuing expansion in instrumentation, resembling Grizzly Bear in its haunting croon and creeping guitar work. Closing out the final minute is an escalation in guitar distortion, assuming a heavier psych-rock feel that evolves naturally from the quainter psych-pop in the earlier phase. “Tonight Show” is a brilliant effort from a rapidly rising act in Skin Mag.
