Skimmed’s debut album Summer Lovers.

It’s a wondrous slice of fleeting pop crafted in a masterful fashion, its layers of gorgeous sounds reflecting both a retro touch and the cumulative flourish fuelling modern-day indie music.

The ‘it’ in question is a song by the name of Ronnie, partly a nod to the magical mystique that classic 1960s pop still commands (also openly displayed in the accompanying music video); the rest of it is indicative of a shift in the musical terrain that local indie act Skimmed has been exploring and becoming one with since releasing its short, sharp and shimmering debut EP Your Head is Too Big for Your Crown back in 2009.

Ronnie also happens to be the opening number of Skimmed’s debut full-length outing, Summer Lovers, which is being released later this month. Anyone expecting more of the same however, will be very mistaken but pleased none­theless, as Skimmed’s musical forays have been quite extensive in the making of this album.

We had more of a punk edge before, but that’s no reason not to explore other sounds and styles

“We’re obviously aware that the album sounds markedly different from the EP,” says Alexandra Aquilina, Skimmed’s vocalist and only female member. “We’ve been discovering a lot of music along the way, and that has inspired us to explore new areas in our own music.”

Guitarist Daniel Borg agrees. “It all came about quite naturally,” he says of the evidently more elaborate aspect engulfing the songs on Summer Lovers. “We had more of a punk edge before, but that’s no reason not to explore other sounds and styles.”

One might think that such explorative tendencies would result in a large number of songs being written before ultimately picking the final 13 that feature on Summer Lovers. This, it turns out, is not the way it works in the Skimmed camp.

“We don’t really write that many songs,” Borg says. Aquilina concurs, but puts it differently. “It’s not that we don’t write a lot of songs, but if an idea isn’t working, we don’t dwell on it too long. We dump it and move on to the next one.”

This, they explain, is a process brought on out of necessity.

“If one of us isn’t feeling the song, there’s little chance of it ever working,” she adds. “The other thing is that finding time to get the whole band together to rehearse is difficult enough, so we try to make sure that our time is used productively and efficiently.”

In contrast to Ronnie’s flowing soul-pop, the other tracks, among them the darker Isobel or the slow-burning Fingernails, reflect different mindsets, but even so, there is a certain factor running through the album that links the songs together.

“I suppose it’s linked to a subliminal 1960s inspiration,” Aquilina explains. “It’s reflected in the various percussions and the use of vocal harmonies, and we’ve also allowed more space for organ and string sounds, bringing in pop orchestration rather than relying on just guitar, drums and bass to propel the songs.”

The use of synths is all the more remarkable given that Skimmed first embraced them during the actual recording of the 2009 EP. “The first time we ever touched a synth was in the recording studio,” Borg recalls.

“Naturally, I then needed to learn to play the synth for live gigs,” Aquilina continues. “Since then, it’s become an essential tool in our songwriting process. It’s also enabled us to discover lots of new sounds and how they work together, which in turn sparks off other ideas.”

These ideas weren’t only applied to the band’s newer material either. “Some of the songs on the new album were originally written a while back but we’ve tweaked them in places. Actually, some of them were given a complete makeover,” Aquilina laughs.

Borg says that sometimes it takes time to suss out if a song is working. “The need to rework a song isn’t always immediately apparent,” he explains. “Sometimes it takes many listens before you realise that a song isn’t as it should or could be; that it’s missing that special factor… I can’t really explain it; it’s a matter of instinct, I suppose.”

That said, they say their second recording experience was still quite enlightening. “We were still green the first time round – we had no clue just how much the studio can offer by way of developing a song,” Aquilina admits.

“This time, we embraced every possibility available during the production process, and that played a big part on how the songs and the album turned out.”

Another prominent factor that draws a line between early Skimmed and where the band is at today lies in the lyrics and the vocal style Aquilina employs, which I have to say is emphatically more versatile.

“As far as lyrics go, I was very inspired by Nick Cave, particularly the way he manages to express anger in his songs so quietly,” she explains. “As for singing, I guess the fact that the songs aren’t as ‘shouty’ has given me the space and the drive to explore new ways to sing.”

So has the band considered how this new direction will be received by those used to Skimmed’s energetic live performances?

“I have to admit some weren’t too pleased we’d softened our sound when they heard Ronnie, but that could also be because they’ve only heard it in a live setting without the trimmings,” Aquilina suggests.

“On the other hand, we’ve had lots of positive feedback too,” Borg adds. “I guess there’s always a risk when a band explores new ground, but we’re pretty pleased with the way the album has turned out, so that’s that really.”

Too right it is, but having heard the entire record – its darker and lighter moments, its impulsive drive and distinct melodies and its striking arrangements, all flavoured with the band’s intrinsic indie sensibilities, my guess is that few will come away disappointed.

Skimmed will be launching Summer Lovers with a special live performance, featuring an exten­ded line-up for the occasion at the British Legion in Valletta on Saturday, February 23. Hey Sus will also be performing on the night while Tim Ellis will be spinning tunes in between bands and after the gig.

Skimmed is Alexandra Aquilina, Daniel Borg, Federico Cilia and Christopher Mercieca. Summer Lovers was produced by David Vella and was partly financed by the Malta Arts Fund and the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund.

www.skimmedmusic.com