SIMON RAYMONDE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2020
Told Slant “Point the flashlight and walk”
Gilroy Mere “Adlestrop”
African Head Charge “Off The Beaten Track”
Lee Scratch Perry “Heavy Rain”
Jo Johnson and Hilary Robinson “Antenna Echoes”
Gwenifer Raymond “Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain”
Iress “Flaw”
Seasurfer “Zombies
Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou “May Our Chambers Be Full”
Sacred Paws “Run Around The Sun”
[OPUS] “Shamed” by Iress
Case in point: Flaw, the excellent new full-length from L.A.-based doomgazers Iress. Yes, there are heavy, crushing riffs aplenty in a song like “Shamed,” courtesy of Michelle Malley and Alex Moreno, along with Glenn Chu’s cavernous drums. But “Shamed” also possesses a slow, somber grace that brings to mind the likes of Lush and Pale Saints — were the classic 4AD bands accompanying a funeral procession in the depths of winter.
[UNDER THE RADAR] “Flaw” Review
Los Angeles group Iress’ new album, Flaw, draws inspiration from the vast ocean on the city’s doorstep. California bands wielding this kind of weight and drama have often fed on a contrast to the state’s sunny vibes, but, in the current moment, dark catharsis feels like a wholly appropriate creative response to that environment.
[Sputnik Music] Review: Iress - Flaw
True to its cover art, Flaw is the kind of record that bears the intensity of a dark, cold ocean. The sludgy riff introducing album opener ‘Shamed’ instantly signals this change of pace for Iress; the bouncy, hazy indie rock from their 2015 debut Prey has made way for something heavier, something much more sinister. Self-describing their brand of music as ‘doom-gaze’, the Californian band presents a sound not dissimilar to the likes of Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle, yet succeeds in separating itself from the pack due to an enthralling combination of impeccable musicianship, Michelle Malley’s demanding voice, and, while allowing Flaw enough space to breathe, preventing the record from overstaying its welcome.
[Bandcamp] The Best Albums of Summer 2020
If there is such a thing as the aural equivalent of being buried alive—and I’m not confident that there is, but I’ll get back to you—then the Los Angeles group Iress has found it. It’s not that their gripping new record Flaw is suffocating; it’s that it perfectly captures the feeling of sickening resignation, the moment you realize you’re completely fucked, and nothing you can do will change your situation, so you instead choose to close your eyes and lean into the fear. (Sound familiar?) The album offers a chest-collapsing assortment of riffs that ride the line between doom metal and shoegaze—fans of Starflyer 59’s first two records, take note—occasionally pausing for a somber, smoky ballad (“Nest”) or a bit of grim, throbbing post-rock (“Shallow”). The band’s divining rod is vocalist Michelle Malley, whose performance on this record will drop the jaw of anyone who hears it. Malley is not only a spectacularly gifted vocalist—the command she displays over her robust, purplish alto is breathtaking—she also knows that what the songs require is not emotional histrionics, but some elusive combination of blankness and bereftness, and she manages to nail it every damn time. About three minutes into “Shallow” she works a single syllable—”ah”—for forty-five seconds, going from hopeless to panicked to desperate to pissed-off. She manages to jam more raw human emotion into that one syllable than other artists manage over the course of an entire album.
[Buzzbands.LA] Quarantunes: A playlist by Iress
[Destroy//Exist] Iress: Hand Tremor
With each new piece being revealed, it's being reaffirmed that Flaw, the coming full length by LA's dark and heavy shoegazers, Iress, is one of the most anticipated albums of 2020. The record arrives in its entirety on September 19th, 2020, and new cut, Hand Tremor, points nearer to the band's frailer and more delicate side.
"Hand Tremor, one of the first songs written for the album, was created one afternoon at home while we lived together in Echo Park," the band's own Alex Moreno and Michelle Malley describe the new song. "It addresses the battle between tenderness and isolation and the internal fight between giving in and being vulnerable. Hand Tremor was recorded live at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles."
Hand Tremor follows the three brilliant singles, Shamed, Underneath and Nest. Iress are Michelle Malley, Alex Moreno, Michael Maldonado, and Glenn Chu.
[The Revue] THE MATINEE ’20 AUGUST 26
RIYL: Concrete Blonde, Chelsea Wolfe (acoustic), Emma Ruth Rundle
Be warned before you press play on the latest from Los Angeles-based rock outfit IRESS: “Nest” is melodic quicksand that will hold you fast and refuse to let go. On the first spin you will find yourself enchanted by their reverb-laden brand of post-rock. The effect is immediate: within seconds you are powerless to resist, quickly succumbing to their intoxicating allure. With that warning in mind, proceed and prepare to be wowed.
So what makes “Nest” a standout from other tracks that hover in that sweet spot of rock genre overlap? The secret lies in some kind of musical magic that we have not heard in some time. IRESS pair haunting vocals that evoke early ’90s legends Concrete Blonde and rising star Emma Ruth Rundle with expertly crafted layers of lush instrumentation. Frontwoman Michelle Malley’s delivery of each note is unhurried, allowing the listener to savor every passing moment. This atmospheric reverie begs you to listen with closed eyes. In return, IRESS reward you with a blissful fever dream you won’t want to wake up from.
The band’s new album, Flaw, arrives September 18th. Pre-order it on Bandcamp and get this song plus two others (“Shamed” and “Underneath”) immediately.
IRESS are: Michelle Malley (vocals, guitar), Alex Moreno (lead guitar), Michael Maldonado (bass), and Glenn Chu (drums).
[AnalogueTrash] New Music: Iress – Nest
Back in July we covered L.A. alt.rock quartet Iress and their track Underneath. They’re back with another song from their sophomore album Flaw. You can listen to dark jewel that is Nest below.
Somewhat lighter in mood and style than Underneath, the track still possesses a persuasive and powerful darkness at its heart. Referencing the more doomy realms of rock, as well as the melodic starkness of shoegaze and post punk, it nonetheless has a decidedly romantic, and at times emotionally raw sound thanks to Michelle’s stellar vocal performance. Nest is out now and you can stream or download the song on Bandcamp.
Be sure to check Iress out over on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, where you can find more listening options as well as keeping up to date with news about the Flaw album.
[Vanyaland] Iress fill the void of life with doomgaze and trust on ‘Nest’
Doomgaze is certainly not something that was created in 2020, but it might be the genre we crave the most in these times of need. The latest entry into the drone mix comes from Los Angeles’ Iress, who today (August 7) drop a vertical storm of a single in “Nest.”
Though the track is brimming with the type of metal, post-rock, and shoegaze elements that prevent it from being defined by any single genre on its own, its fullness in sound intertwined with lyrical themes of combatting a personal emptiness.
“‘Nest’ is for the outsider and the misunderstood,” Iress state. “It’s about finding someone or something that looks into you and understands, without a word, the comfort you find in emptiness together.”