The Underwater

In the late 1990s Jeremy Wilkins, who played guitar and keyboards, and vocalist Melissa Mileski came together in Atlanta, Georgia, to launch Underwater and bring contrasting elements into alternative and synth-driven styles. Their music relied on a pronounced electronic presence within its textures, much like the approach heard from Curve or Bowery Electric, which quickly drew strong interest from the surrounding scene on the strength of the band’s striking songcraft. Once drummer Alec Irvin and programmer Matthew Jeanes joined the lineup, the group entered the studio to capture its first album. Issued by Risk Records in 1999, that debut effort, I Could Lose, was produced by Chris Vrenna, a musician previously associated with Nine Inch Nails. Following the album’s release, Underwater and the label went their separate ways, yet the band soon issued the single “Red” on its own.