[NOIZZE] ArcTanGent Festival 2024: The Review – Friday

This is LA “dream metal” troupe Iress’ first ever UK tour, and they revel in the sizeable turnout. Gorgeous, doomy shoegaze is capped by Michelle Malley’s soulful voice, washing over the tent from the very first chord. They conjure swathes of sound that build with the inevitability of a tidal wave approaching the shore; there’s a beauty to the crushing weight of their sound as it rises and falls from moment to moment. It feels odd to experience them in the midday sun given the musical gloom, but it feels like there’s an undercurrent of hope that shines through. It’s a strong first showing from them, who as Malley admits built their entire tour around this show, with songs from latest album Sleep Now, In Reverse sounding monolithic in the tent’s confines.