If you're looking for a fantastic combination of dreamy vocal production and weighty doom to kick your Friday off, look no further than Iress' new single "Falling". The single comes from Iress' upcoming album Sleep Now, In Reverse due out on July 26. Pre-orders are available here.

"Sometimes it's nice to leave the meaning of a song up to interpretation, though I will say the lyrics of 'Falling' speak volumes, depicting an emotional tug of war," said Iress vocalist Michelle Malley. "The song started with the simple guitar riff in the intro and really just transformed into something remarkable. It was an incredible experience to witness its evolution."

Like every year, the special Best Post-Rock Albums playlist features tracks from a selection of 10 albums.

This 2023 edition is very varied, with, on the border of Post-Rock, the very good new albums of Svalbard and Milanku. American instrumental Post-Rock is very present with Shipwreck Karpathos and Ranges. The Europeans are not to be outdone with Spurv and Ropes Inside a Hole, nor even the French with First Came the Shadow and Maven. Shoegaze, finally, is well represented by Fragile Animals and Laveda.

Svalbard – The Weight of the Mask (Nuclear Blast)
Shipwreck Karpathos – Being Human (A Thousand Arms Music)
Spurv – Brefjære (Pelagic Records)
Fragile Animals – Slow Motion Burial (Hobbledehoy Records)
Ropes Inside a Hole – A Man and His Nature (Shove Records)
Ranges – 33 (A Thousand Arms Music)
First Came the Shadow
Laveda – A Place You Grew Up In (PaperCup Music)
Milanku – À l'aube (Folivora Records)
Maven – Aelys

As a bonus, an unreleased track by Brutus and an excerpt from an Iress EP complete the playlist.

The playlist is available:
– as a video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJoemfHPj2w-d55rK_h9D_8BirEn2611j
– on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2vdn7gvnLIcZRvYEkRnRyi
– on Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/fr/playlist/12557519543

No del todo metal, shoegaze o slowcore, sino una mezcla catártica de esos géneros

El cuarteto de Los Angeles Iress es el sonido de un tsunami que se acerca, en cámara lenta, masivo pero con una melodía, cargado de fatalidad inminente pero también con una sensación de asombro. No del todo metal, shoegaze o slowcore, sino una mezcla catártica de esos géneros.

Para repasar: la banda comenzó con el nombre de Iris, y pronto se dieron cuenta de que demasiadas bandas se consideraban mensajeros de los dioses y usaban ese nombre. Así que se decidieron por el pseudo-baúl de viaje Iress: "ire" para la ira, el sufijo "-ess" que denota su feminidad. Lanzaron un álbum en 2015 y un EP en 2019 y se convirtieron en un elemento imperdible en los clubes de Los Angeles antes de unirse para un poderoso álbum de larga duración, 'Flaw', que sufrió el destino de ser lanzado en el primer otoño de la pandemia.

Ahora el cuarteto —la cantante y guitarrista Michelle Malley, el bajista Michael Maldonado, el baterista Glenn Chu y el nuevo guitarrista Graham Walker— regresa con "Ricochet", el primer sencillo de 'Solace', un EP que llegará el 12 de mayo a través de Dune Altar Records.

Es un refinamiento del sonido de IRESS, grandiosidad melódica pero no tan denso como para que la majestuosidad de la voz de Malley no produzca un exorcismo.

"Me emociono cada vez que canto 'Ricochet'", dice la cantante. "Empecé a escribirlo hace un par de años durante un momento realmente difícil de mi vida. Cuando la banda lo consiguió, realmente se transformó en algo poderoso. Es una canción sobre la pérdida y la angustia y el viaje hacia el autodescubrimiento y la aceptación".

Los fanáticos de artistas como Marriages, Chelsea Wolfe, Red Sparowes y Emma Ruth Rundle quizás quieran visitar el 12 de mayo para el lanzamiento de 'Solace'.

Thank you all for making 2023 a great year for Audioeclectica. I hope you all found new and old bands to love and delve into. As 2024 begins, there will be new things coming to Audioeclectica including the long awaited return of The Audioeclectica Podcast as well as Radio Show, also coming are new topics, a revamp to the look of the site and many more surprises. Also don’t forget, I am putting on shows with The Cobalt Presents (aka The Cobalt Cafe), so if your band is coming through the greater Los Angeles area, reach out to me and let’s see if we can’t make a show happen!

And now… The Results Of The 2023 End Of The Year Lists (the results are based on readers votes):

01) Best Drummer: Glenn Chu- Iress & Sebastian Thomson- Baroness

02) Best Bassist: Nick Jost- Baroness & Michael Maldonado- Iress

03) Best Guitar Duo: John Baizley/Gina Gleason- Baroness & Graham Walker/Michelle Malley- Iress

04) Best Producer/Mixer: Paul Fig- Filth Is Eternal & Alex Estrada- Iress

05) Best Guitarist: Brian McClelland- Filth Is Eternal

06) Best Vocalist: Michelle Malley- Iress & Lis Di Angelo- Filth Is Eternal

07) Best Album: Iress- Solace & Filth Is Eternal- Find Out

Thank you all who voted!!!

2023 nous a offert de nombreuses vidéos Post-Rock, et en particulier de belles productions françaises. Le traditionnel best of de Zirck Radio vous propose une sélection de 20 vidéos de ce millésime, qui ont été partagées sur la page Facebook.

From Los Angeles, doomgaze band, Iress, has made a highly awaited comeback, following their strong 2020 album, Flaw, with their new offering, Solace. The new EP comes very close to the melancholic and dark essence of its forerunner, and captures the brutal reality of unavoidable, yet, beautiful change, delivering a substantial dose of emotional intensity as a dense and powerful unit.

“…The evening kicked off with the enigmatic Iress, a band that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live four times in 2023 alone. Their “doom gaze” music has always captivated me, and this performance was no exception. With a penchant for crafting hauntingly beautiful sonic landscapes, Iress had the audience spellbound from the first note.

Iress, known for their mesmerizing live shows, effortlessly transported the crowd to a realm where shadows danced to the eerie melodies. The ethereal vocals of Michelle Malley seemed to echo through the Paramount, casting a bewitching spell upon all in attendance. Their setlist, a mixture of new tracks and fan favorites, showcased their ability to evoke deep emotions with each chord progression and lyrical delivery.

In a year of remarkable performances, Iress undoubtedly earned the title of “Band I’ve Seen The Most.” Their sonic sorcery left the audience yearning for more, setting the stage for a night filled with musical wonders…”

“…Iress, characterized by its sludgy, grungy, and enveloping sound, didn’t disappoint. From their “Flaw” days, they’ve consistently captivated listeners with their dark, alluring musical allure.

Michelle Malley, armed with her mesmerizing alto, guided the band through realms of ethereal musing and sonic intensity. Her voice, oscillating between soft whispers and roaring crescendos, painted an atmosphere that was as entrancing as it was eerie. Given her prowess, it’s unsurprising that she ranks high among rock vocalists today. The depth, passion, and melancholy resonated in waves of grungy, doom-gaze brilliance.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Michelle’s voice ranks among my favorite female rock vocals. As long as she and her band continue delivering these impactful, emotive tracks, they’ve secured a devoted fan in me…”

Iress – Ricochet

Ricochet is from the EP, Solace featuring the exquisite voice of Michelle Malley. Along with bandmembers Michael Maldonado, Glenn Chu and Graham Walker, Iress have crafted a powerful sound that clearly relies on talent rather than studio trickery. Expertly produced and delightfully listenable. I have an inkling Iress would be engaging to see live. Nice video for Ricochet, too.

“…In an upcoming feature, I’ll dive deep into my latest encounter with Iress at Resident LA. But for now, let’s keep the suspense alive. A sneak peek into my thoughts? Michelle Malley of Iress is, without a doubt, dominating my list of top female rock vocalists at the moment. If you haven’t given them a listen, now’s the time.

And, for a visual treat, tap on the accompanying photo above for a curated photo gallery and some gripping video snippets…”