At the core of Hangnail, the debut EP by New York multi instrumentalist Shanna Polley (known professionally as Snakeskin) is a feeling of modulation; the way Polley shifts between major and minor keys, how the vocals change from soft-spoken mumble to an explosive falsetto, and how the effort’s instrumentation goes from clean to discordant, all contribute to a feeling of unease throughout the release’s six tracks. In doing so, Snakeskin plays to its strengths in a dynamic quality, balancing tender lyrical attributes against crunchy, lofi production, creating a release that’s both hard and soft, tender and heavy. It’s a defiantly iconic effort that demonstrates Polley’s ability to find balance in the storm. Stream it below, and catch them live at Mercury Lounge on May 13th, performing alongside Hypoluxo and Nanami Ozone. –Connor Beckett McInerney
