Torres Explores Lesbian Power Dynamics in 'Skim'

New York-based indie rock singer/songwriter Torres, the moniker for Mackenzie Scott, is back with a new song and video for "Skim." The single marks Scott's first release since her 2015 sophomore release, Sprinter.

What makes the song instantly compelling is its catchy, menacing guitar line, and slow-burning beat. Then Scott sings the opening line: "Do you consider the source of your energy?"--and you know instantly that this is an accusation, not a question, from a woman scorned and jilted. Scott sings about "he" and "his authority," and you know--or at least can imagine--that she lost her girl to some kind of rage-inducing male influence. The verses and chorus of "Skim" build almost mechanically, evoking a tightly-wound Depeche Mode track, but the way Scott controls her rage throughout are what makes the song so riveting. It's like a seething cauldron of "You Oughta Know"-style jealousy that never quite boils over.

In the equally compelling and sexually-charged, but totally safe-for-work clip, directed by Ashley Connor, a platinum-blonde Scott looks dead into the camera while stalking sullenly in an empty, ranch-style house. Adding intrigue to insulted emotions, Scott dons a sleek black suit while women's hands attempt to grope her from room to room, as if toying with the idea of embodying a male rock icon avoiding groupies. We also see Scott positioned in various power poses with a scantily-clad woman on a couch, too.

In "Skim," Scott may want to let go, she cannot. Haven't we all been there? It's an almost psychotic kind of love that just about anyone can relate to. Watch, below.