photo by Chris McLaughlin; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Review of Soft Skies Inc: “Sin Some / Lose Some”

Soft Skies Inc – Ryan Rex (main vocals, guitars, and bass) and Martin Rex (drums, percussion, backing vocals, and keys) delivers a keyboard-heavy, ’90s-style, jangly, dreamily-floating alt-rock with the slightly off-kilter harmonies of “Sin Some / Lose Some.” This song reminds me a lot of the mid-’90s. It’s similar to the music I heard on the East Lansing music scene or among the featured acts at regional Northeast and Midwest music conferences during that time.

cover art photo by Lindsay Metivier; image courtesy of Knyvet

Musically, “Sin Some / Lose Some” is light but with a hint of darkness. Almost danceable but with a deceptively complicated beat that makes it hard to really hone in on, so when you hear it live, you just awkwardly sway like a pre-teen afraid to make the first move at a roller skating party. So what’s the song actually about? Well, according to Ryan Rex, “More than anything, I want people to find their own meaning in the song. But for me, it’s about the chaos of living a life that’s been off the rails for too long trying to wrestle control over things that were never really in your hands to begin with. There’s a kind of madness in that.” If you think about it, that’s kind of the same vibe. But yeah, lyrically the song’s more substantial than the visual embodiment I chose to personify its tweener energy might suggest.

More Recently

Since the release of “Sin Some / Lose Some,” Soft Skies Inc has released another single, “The Point,” with a more retro-’80s alt-pop/rock vibe. Of course, I’ve only played it once, so if I were actually planning to review it, I’d give it multiple listens so I could dig deeper. Still, combined with the pair of singles I reviewed last year – “Sooner or Later” and “Your Small Army” – it showcases the duo’s versatility.