LOS ANGELES, CA- I’ve opined about this on multiple occasions, but Michelle Malley’s voice is otherworldly. It’s one thing to sound good on a studio recording, but she’s equally- if not more- amazing live. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten chills listening to her longingly wail into the microphone. Even when I know it’s coming, I get that tingling down my spine and the few hairs I have on my arms prick up a bit. I mean … I KNOW when those glissandos are coming in “Next”, but every time I hear them, it’s like a virgin experience.

What I love about Michelle’s vocal performances the most is how each time I’ve seen her perform, she seems to get more and more confident and comfortable in her skin, which makes the performances and music that much more powerful. When the band swells into a fuzzy crescendo of riffs, and Michelle’s voice gets powerfully louder with angst, you feel that glorious heaviness push down on your shoulders telling you to pay attention. Even when she whispers the lyrics, “I’m not ready” there’s this palpable sense of intense vulnerability you simply can’t just ignore. Mesmerizing.

Iress’ Michelle Malley is one of my favorite “indie” rock voices in Los Angeles. No other band gives me melodic doom like Iress, and I long for the next time I get those tingles down my spine again. Luckily, they have new music on the horizon, so more future shows are definitely in order. Their new single “Ricochet” (which they performed live at this show) that drops on March 3rd. Pre-save “Ricochet” here and check ’em out.