Poptones navigate new emotional depths on ‘Skin of Sea’
Poptones image via Rune Gro-Nielsen
Danish experimental rock trio Poptones returns with ‘Skin of Sea,’ the first single from its upcoming second album Pure, due September 26th via Happy Metal Records.
Marking a notable evolution in the band’s sonic identity, ‘Skin of Sea’ leans into simplicity and emotional clarity, born from an improvisation session in Northern Jutland—the same house where former Danish Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag passed away. In contrast to their more intricate prior work, the track embraces a streamlined structure that emerged quickly and intuitively, with its sparse chord progression and ambient textures revealing a new vulnerability.
The band explains its shift in tone also ushered in a new instrumental palette:
“It was also our first dive into using instruments we hadn’t worked with before. Especially the outro pulled us toward a grander sound and opened up new ways of composing as Poptones.
“The first idea for ‘Skin of Sea’ came together quickly and intuitively, going from nothing to a finished sketch in just a few hours, which is far from our usual writing pace. Maybe that’s why the track leans more on simplicity in chords and structure. Intuitive ideas often have a clear sense of direction, which was definitely the case with “Skin of Sea”. It was very inspiring to work with.”
‘Skin of Sea’ arrives alongside a self-directed video, shot on a broken phone camera and slowed to 20% speed, a visual mirror to the track’s dreamy disorientation. With its blurred, submerged aesthetic, the video deepens the song’s exploration of emotional drift and distortion—early signals of what to expect from Pure. ‘Skin of Sea’ is out now.
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