Pink Skies Finds Beauty and Dissonance in Protest Album 'American Mood Ring'
LA-based artist and producer Arieh Berl, better known as Pink Skies, has released 'American Mood Ring,' a cinematic protest record that captures both the heartbreak and hope of the modern United States. Known for his kaleidoscopic blend of indie psych-pop and chillwave, "psychadelic bad boy" Berl leans into a new chapter with an album that’s equal parts nostalgic Americana and contemporary critique.
“These songs are about the duality of being an American,” Berl explains. “At times this country is heartbreakingly beautiful, and at others, it feels darker and on the edge of autocracy. I wanted to capture both - the hope and the heaviness - in one record.”
The album follows a run of singles that hinted at its sweeping scope, weaving vintage textures, lush instrumentation, and a cinematic sheen reminiscent of Tame Impala, The Marias, and even Bruce Springsteen. The result is a protest record that doesn’t shout; it resonates, humming with the contradictions of the present moment.
Pink Skies has steadily carved out a cult following, with over 30 million streams, 150K monthly Spotify listeners, and support slots alongside Cannons, NEIL FRANCES, Magic City Hippies, and TV Girl.
Beyond his own work, Berl is a Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling producer with credits for 6LACK, Saint JHN, and Khalid - a background that informs the record’s immaculate production and layered sonics.
'American Mood Ring' is a modern American protest record for a generation caught between collapse and possibility.
'American Mood Ring' is out now via Cosmic Jelly.
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