Music is power; it is meant to make you feel something—with unfiltered emotion pulsing from the beats of the song, the shaking of the walls of your room, which directly connects to the beat of your heart and provides warmth to your soul. This is basically one of the reasons why a lot of people enjoy rock music: the loud instruments drown the madness of the world, the lyrics speak your reality, and the emotions brought by the songs are something relatable and connecting. That is exactly what “Real Life” by the Minneapolis-based band “Sky Island” presents from the very first notes it presents until the very last line that it carries. This is a storm of sound that would remind you that rock is far from dead in this era—it is alive, it is thriving. This is an absolute treat!
The way Sky Island presents “Real Life,” gives a reality that does not sugarcoat anything—from its gritty and authentic sound to its imperfections, it is what makes it stand out in terms of its unique productions. A long-time friend of the band Jason Colehour, a great tattoo artist at Broken Hearts Tatoo in Northeast Minneapolis, drew the artwork that served as the album art for this release and relates to the post-emo backbone of the band’s sound as featured on this collection. “Real Life” is a 10-track collection that directly speaks to every person who grew up listening to an era of great bands fueled by angst and chest-pulsing rock, and “Sky Island” has proven that they are owning it, taking it, and reimagining this genre into their own.
The album opens with the sounds of “Intro,” a dark and haunting atmosphere that welcomes and sets the tone for the whole collection. The layered ambient sound creates a vibe that gives a quiet before the storm—a sense of foreboding, of an impending chaos that is about to break through. Following this is the track “Red Rose,” where synths meet pop and rock into one great infusion of sound that is both uniquely sounding and catchy. The aggressive undertones, along with some textures of slow-tempo rock and powerful notes from guitar, create a nostalgic edge for this song—a modern twist to your all-time favorite 2000s rock music.
With “Down to Earth” and its solid grunge influence, Sky Island’s style and musicality shine through this piece with its chant-like vocals and distorted guitars punctuated by pounding drums. This song has a simple structure, yet its lyrics are packed specifically channeling gritty energy that feels like a cry of anguish. On the other hand, “Solitude” gives off a strong vibe from the band My Chemical Romance with its moody instrumentation and singing along with its earnest lyrical content. Tracks “Friend is Me,” “Right Or Wrong,” “Boat Song,” “Monochrome,” and “Remedy” are released in this collection too, and it fully deserves your time to listen.
Finally, “Ghost in a Room” is a personal favorite for this collection, standing out because of its hook and catchy rhythmic drive along with its infectious tempo and beats that pull you in to enjoy the track. This song is an energetic piece that displays the band’s capacity to effortlessly convey their creativity through their great instrumentation and gritty lyricism—a track worthy to be experienced through a live performance.
Ultimately, Real Life by Sky Island is solid proof that rock music is still alive and most definitely striving. The skillful instrumentation and production of this band not only create a unique-sounding collection but also give the listeners an emotionally packed album worthy to represent the genre in this era. Whether you’re a fan or not, the range of this album is something that you would definitely enjoy—it is an album that will pull you in to dive deeper and enjoy this treat from the band. So, don’t miss out! If you haven’t heard Real Life yet, check it out! Hit that play and enjoy Sky Island’s music. Connect with them too, and trust me, you won’t want to miss their next releases!
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About the Author
Born and raised in one of the 7000-ish islands in the Philippines, a self-proclaimed professional fangirl, with a degree in Biology. She probably annoy the people around her so much for not speaking and speaking too much. A frustrated writer, yes!
