SKIES - Better As Friends (Album)
After her captivating singles “Water” and “Pressure” pulled us into her orbit, SKIES solidifies her artistry with “Better As Friends”, a project drenched in vulnerability, emotional contradictions, and the complexities of love that lingers after it’s gone. This body of work speaks volumes, not just in lyrical depth but in emotional resonance. It’s a soundtrack for those walking the fine line between what once was and what could’ve been.
From the very start, SKIES sets the tone with a theme of longing—desiring closeness but keeping enough distance so no one gets hurt. The project unravels like pages of a diary, each track presenting a different layer of what it means to love deeply while navigating the scars it leaves behind. “Synergy” and “Black Lingerie” are lush, admiration-filled cuts. They shine with passion and sensuality, highlighting moments when the love was magnetic, almost spiritual. SKIES uses these tracks to reflect on the intensity of physical and emotional connection, reminding us of the good that once bloomed between two people who couldn’t stay apart yet struggled to remain together.
But the project takes a sharp turn emotionally with songs like “Wise Up” and “Petty Shit.” Here, SKIES enters a more confrontational space, exposing the bitterness that often comes with unspoken truths and suppressed resentment. “Wise Up” is a soul-check, a realization that the emotional toll of staying might outweigh the dream of rebuilding. “Petty Shit,” on the other hand, shows SKIES letting out the frustration in raw form, a necessary purge of feelings often buried beneath politeness.
What makes “Better As Friends” so powerful is its duality. SKIES doesn’t choose sides; she leans into the contradiction. One moment, she’s reminiscing about intimate nights and inside jokes; the next, she’s holding her ground, refusing to let toxic patterns re-enter her space. This push and pull becomes the very heartbeat of the project. The production throughout is minimal yet polished, allowing SKIES’ voice to lead the charge. Her vocal performance is both sultry and sincere, sometimes airy and fragile, other times commanding and cold. It matches the emotional range she explores, making the entire project feel like a late-night conversation with yourself when no one else is around.
“Better As Friends” is a journal of emotional clarity, messy decisions, and unspoken what-ifs. It captures the aftermath of love with both grace and grit. And while SKIES may question if staying friends is truly better, what’s certain is that this project will resonate deeply with anyone who’s ever had to love from a distance.