Skin Thinner by Anna Smyrk
“Skin Thinner” by Anna Smyrk is a soft indie-pop track released in January that explores emotion and vulnerability. The singer is an indie singer-songwriter from who is known for her soft but expressive voice and deeply personal songwriting. Her lyrics are emotional and honest, just like “Skin Thinner” is, while combining instrumental indie-pop and alt-folk influences.
From the beginning of the song, it creates a gentle atmosphere. It opens with a subtle beat layered with light guitar riffs, setting a calm tone that allows the lyrics to take center stage. The melody is very alt-folk inspired, setting the mood for the song. It is calm, wholesome and even comforting, which helps Anna Smyrk expressing her lyrics in the best way possible. Through the melody’s calmness, she can bring out the emotions and feelings with her controlled and soft voice, even better,
Her personal and fragile lyrics are universal and therefore for sure resonating with the audience. The song never overwhelms the listener and instead feels like quiet, relatable comfort. Throughout her entire discography, Anna Smyrk manages to create this “safe space” of emotions in her song, in a very natural way. The lyrics like “I try to make myself numb” stand out, capturing the struggle of coping with overwhelming and especially negative emotions. The honesty throughout the song is striking.
The production remains minimal, which works in the song’s favor. The melody and vocals support each other, creating a balanced and cohesive sound. This song would even work as a complete acoustic, only guitar and voice. This song is for listeners of Noah Kahan or anyone who would like to discover a new sound in music. It is difficult to find singers who sound very similar to Anna Smyrk, which works in her favor — she is unique.
Overall, “Skin Thinner” succeeds through sincerity and subtlety. It gently offers listeners a space for honesty and emotional awareness, making it both relatable and deeply affecting.
