Retina Sky break onto the Chicago scene with Without Hope We Wither

With their debut EP, Without Hope We Wither, Retina Sky make a bold entrance into the Chicago music scene. Taking the introspective terrain typical of Midwest emo into the lush expanses of shoegaze and art rock, they've done what few emerging bands can do on their first release: something unique that still feels grounded in tradition.

Kicking off with "Until You Fall Asleep", the opening guitar hook instantly catches, snagging anyone half-listening and drawing them into a world of swirling guitars and lush vocal harmonies. The lyrics, "Lost in the ether, my body has gone weak," show their emo roots, but resonate far beyond that one genre. Alt-rock guitars and flashy fingerwork down fretboards meld melody with raw energy.

Track two is "Transmission". This is brilliant existentialism for the band itself. "We can't go back to the start," they sing. So what's next? With the incredible guitar solos throughout, we all want to know that answer too.

"Running Out of Time" adds a sense of urgency with its sparse but driving drumbeat, which feels almost like a countdown under the complex vocal harmonies.

The EP concludes with "Dutchland", a strong closer that begins with a slow-building guitar and drums, gradually introducing a melody that perfectly encapsulates the band's sound.

Without Hope We Wither is a beautiful debut for Retina Sky. It shows where they're going and what they want to do, while still showing they already have the chops to headline stages.

Hear it for yourself. Stream Without Hope We Wither below.

Ben McCoy

Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he's not writing for his supper, he's eating it at some of NYC's most interesting restaurants.