Gabi Sklar's new single, "Miami," takes you on a hypnotic ride, a cinematic, emotionally charged anthem that embodies the magic and mayhem of the city it's named after. The sultry Southern undertones and lush instrumentation on "Miami" seduce more than they promote its sprint toward the dance floor, covers the pressurized, intoxicating dynamics of the nightlife's push-and-pull, which is far from the most typical arrangement of a club track.
"Miami" establishes the scene like the first shot of a movie. A dramatic piano melody ensnares you, while Sklar's processed but spectrally smooth vocals sketch a vivid picture of a protagonist wandering in the dreamlike haze of the city. "There's who you are and who you can be. Fall in and out of fever dreams," she croons, ruminating on the twin poles of "Miami," where everyone is a nobody and everyone is a star. The slow-burning intensity of "Miami" builds until, as if on the rush of a night out, the production gives way to an irresistible, club-sufficient chorus that feels euphoric and fleeting in equal parts.
"Miami" is an experience. It evokes the moment the music hijacks your thoughts when night materializes as infinite when you're weightless in the city's pulse. But as the beat drops, reality sets in because that high in "Miami" doesn't last forever.
With this hypnotic new single, Gabi Sklar establishes herself as one of pop's most engrossing new voices, capable of making you dance, dream, and feel all at once.