B-Side Guys

Dublin’s DIY provocateur Skinner transforms night shift delirium into art on “Sour Milk,” where days blur together until you’re “crying at the tills because I couldn’t find the pesto.” Through careful fusion of no-wave aggression and post-punk precision, the track captures the surreal comedy of a mind coming undone through sleep deprivation.

The production matches the lyrical descent into confusion, where Monday becomes Sunday, and “I couldn’t find my hat so I started wearing lampshades.” Each verse adds new layers of disorientation, with protagonist breaking down in increasingly public spaces – “Panicking in Centra, tearing up in Tesco” – while the arrangement amplifies this steady unraveling.

Inspired by the late ’70s New York no-wave scene, Skinner creates something distinctly Dublin through its catalog of modern urban alienation. When he observes “I’m like a spoon, but knives and forks are always laughing at you,” the delivery transforms kitchen drawer anxiety into existential crisis, supported by production that emphasizes both humor and horror.

The arrangement benefits from Corcoran’s vocal training with Dara Kiely of Gilla Band, allowing him to navigate between mumbled observations and primal screams. This range proves particularly effective in capturing the song’s more unhinged moments, like wanting to “find God and hang him with a shoelace” or facing a therapist who notes you’re “sideways.”

Percussion provides crucial foundation as the lyrics spiral through “spending much longer in the shower, sleeping in late for 16 hours.” These rhythmic elements anchor the narrative’s more explosive moments, like the realization that “now my face is wearing assless chaps and everybody wants to give it a slap.”

The song’s structure mirrors its protagonist’s fractured perception of time, where every day becomes “this same day” stuck in their teeth. Sean Corcoran’s mixing and Tj Lipple’s mastering maintain perfect balance between clarity and confusion, allowing each surreal image to land with full impact.

The borrowed observation from The Beautiful South that “it’s funny how quick the milk turns sour” transforms from simple reference into perfect metaphor for rapid deterioration, repeated until it becomes both mantra and warning. Through this careful building of imagery and intensity, Skinner captures both the humor and horror of watching reality curdle.

As preview of “New Wave Vaudeville,” the track suggests an artist ready to transform personal instability into universal experience. Through its vivid portrayal of sleep deprivation and social alienation, Skinner proves that sometimes the best way to capture reality is through embracing its absurdity.

“Sour Milk” stands as evidence of why this 25-year-old DIY artist merits attention in 2025’s musical landscape. By bringing together surreal imagery and raw emotion while maintaining distinct voice, Skinner creates something that works both as diary of deterioration and celebration of survival.