<\/p>\n
Every week, the <\/i>Milwaukee Music Premiere<\/u><\/i><\/b><\/a> sponsored by <\/i><\/b>Density Studios<\/u><\/i><\/b><\/a> connects the city\u2019s artists with our listening audience. If you\u2019re an artist with a track you\u2019d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our <\/i>Music Submission page<\/u><\/i><\/a> to learn how.<\/i><\/p>\n In a discordant wave, Offtide bring a noisy flush to the Milwaukee music scene with \u201cSky Is the Limit,\u201d the single getting its premiere today.<\/p>\n Consisting of Sam Balestreri, Alex Keimel and Matt Martell, the Milwaukee-based band blends sonic elements of post-rock and alternative indie to create a rich atmosphere within their music, stretching the texture of each instrument to its limit. Honing this rawness to a sharp edge allows for a rich Slint-like quality that emanates from a deep chord structure.<\/p>\n After the loss of a close friend and former bandmate, the trio found solace in each other and their shared art, which mirrors the grief that comes from the loss of a loved one. For many, it\u2019s a consistent black hole in your heart that continues to thump and thump \u2014 something that emanates from \u201cSky Is the Limit\u201d through a crunchy guitar tone backed by a delirious bass line.<\/p>\n While the track was made within the confines of DIY home recording, that doesn\u2019t make it a rough listen. The limitations forced the band to engage in more creative production that a more \u201cindustry standard\u201d setup could easily solve. The resulting wall of sound-esque earbursts that come from the guitar add more weight to the song, especially considering the tonal differences between each section.<\/p>\n \u201cSky Is the Limit\u201d opens with a toned-down chord pattern backed by a steady beat. It\u2019s a simple but decisive opening that allows for the lyrics to guide the listener into the noise:<\/p>\n There\u2019s a big wave running like the gears in a vending machine<\/i> The song itself is about the reconciliation that stems from arguments. The need to make one’s point during a heated moment is integral to the human experience, but the comedown afterward and the attempts to make peace are what makes these moments important. The track mirrors this thought process with a verse\/chorus structure that drastically shifts between tones, akin to how easily emotions can run wild.<\/p>\n A shattering guitar abruptly breaks up the song once the distortion is turned on, forcing the drums and bass to snarl in response. It\u2019s a fight to maintain balance in a deregulated soundscape:<\/p>\n There’s an engine running on the work of a legend<\/i> Near the three-minute mark, \u201cSky Is the Limit\u201d bursts like an atom bomb in a surge of sound that forcefully clears the mind of all other thoughts, achieving pure focus through an avalanche of hard noise:<\/p>\n Well I know you have a plan<\/i> Through a deeply melancholic guitar solo, the song trembles to achieve clarity, mirroring the lack of understanding that comes from different perspectives that are seemingly trying so hard to reach the same conclusion. The band channels the pain of misunderstanding through two minutes of fuzz that fades into a deeply somber, yet nostalgic melody.<\/p>\n The new single is a teaser for Offtide\u2019s new record, Reconcile<\/i>, that will be out via the group\u2019s Bandcamp page<\/u><\/a> and all other streaming platforms May 5. For now, listen to \u201cSky Is the Limit\u201d on 88Nine today (6:30 and 10:30 a.m.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.) or enjoy it anytime by clicking the player at the top of the page.<\/p>\n Jonathan Joseph is a Milwaukee-based multimedia freelance journalist who specializes in art and culture writing (and all things Milwaukee), with work appearing on Radio Milwaukee and in Milwaukee Magazine. Contact him <\/i>via email<\/u><\/i><\/a> or find him <\/i>on LinkedIn<\/u><\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Telling us to keep on buying things in our dreams<\/i>
Stealing away the concrete beneath our feet<\/i>
The gears keep on turning till there’s nothing left for us to breathe<\/i><\/p>\n
Feels like an anvil dropping on society<\/i>
Leaving thousands of people to cry in an empty room\u00a0<\/i>
The sky is the limit let us bathe in it<\/i><\/p>\n
No, I don\u2019t understand\u00a0<\/i>
You drew it out for me\u00a0<\/i>
Now it\u2019s getting hard to read<\/i><\/p>\n