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Formed in 1997 by Jeremy Wrenn, Chicago group Airiel here seven years creates hypnotizing cascades guitar noise, forcing to recollect about Cocteau Twins and The Pale Saints. In those days Lush, Chapterhouse, Ride, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine realesed EP everyone some months, simultaneously pleasing and teasing the admirers. Airiel does justice early shoegazing 90-s' not only nostalgic sounding, but also ideologically - letting out the releases not full-length albums, but a series of mini-albums.
Winks and Kisses will consist from 4 EP which have been released with a difference in 3-4 months during 2003 - 2004. Four mini-albums refer to Frosted, Dizzy, Melted and Crackled. We shall begin under the order: Frosted - the first mini-album in a series. Magnificent melodies, transparent guitars Jeremy's vocal and rhythms of the drum-machine create a tempting mix of sounds which plunge us per 1991. Beats on Liquid Paper are similar on Joy Division plus the graceful melody from Airiel... Kiss Me Slowly attacks you in gross white noise. Rainflower flows a falls of guitars, weakening your eardrums. Finishing Halo during 10 minutes flickers guitars and lulls the listener, entering it in a trance. Dizzy - the second release. Continuation does not deceive our expectations. Stratosphere sets fantastic tone, transfers us to this layer of an atmosphere where we soar together with magic soft tremoloes (mus. - fast recurrence of one or two sounds, distance from each other on an interval not less a third). Ri - a pastoral tool gemstone. This is Why I cannot Sleep sends us to 90-th, to guitars of Lush. A voice part here executes by Krissey Bailey from Whimsical. On traditions, each mini-album in Winks and Kisses comes to an end with epic track. 500 Deep - 10 minutes, beginning a fine ringing pop-song and, then, letting pass to something absolutely other. Melted - the following mini-album in series. Jeanette - in the best tradition: My Bloody Valentine: washes off us with fuzz guitars and mad rhythm of the drum-machine. Sharron Apple - here little bit altered version of songs which has appeared on Japanese compilation Seven Winters. Firefly it is completely surprising - such definition of "beauty" by means of pop-songs, moreover and a magnificent vocal from Stella Tran. EP closes In Your Room - "visiting card" of Airiel which appeared earlier on several releases - a single released in Sonic Syrup Records, compilations Isonauta, Kill Art and Indiana University School of Music. Crackled, last from a series, is marked as the first release of group with the constant drummer. Change became simply amazing. John Rungger behind drum-type installation gives songs of group unprecedented energy. All mini-albums have been released by the limited circulation in 750 copies everyone. These four EP in the near future will be release also in box-set - one more "brick" in a building of the second wave of shoegazing.
reviewed by: 'Disappearer' for Noise Fiction (translated from Russian) |
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1980s nostalgia has been with us for probably a decade now, so it will unlikely come as a surprise that a Chicago band has been successfully reviving the shimmering, wall-of-noise guitar music from that era, commonly known as “shoegaze.” Aside from a brief nod on MTV, Airiel hasn’t gotten much play outside the insular confines of the Windy City’s music scene, but that didn’t stop the band from releasing -- over the course of a year -- four limited-edition EPs that thoroughly document its recent history. The discs, entitled Frosted, Dizzy, Melted and Crackled, were limited to 750 copies each, and an equally limited-edition box set that collects all four releases, entitled Winks and Kisses, appeared in record stores this week.
Airiel itself claims that putting out EPs instead of long-players was a deliberate tribute to its shoegazing forefathers, such as Ride, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, all groups who shrewdly offered their fans a series of too-short releases as well. The idea was simple market economics: Give your customers a limited supply, and then reap the rewards of an insatiable demand. It’s unlikely that Airiel will ever see the monetary rewards of its predecessors (won’t these discs just be battled over on eBay?), but the reason is the band’s poor timing, and not by any means its lack of musical brilliance. Shades of Ride are all over these dreamy, electrifying songs, but with Airiel’s wonderfully pitched high-range vocals, I hear bits of Teenage Fanclub as well, and maybe the Pet Shop Boys, with deliberate amplifier feedback rounding out the production. It’s tough to say how the crowd at Gooski’s will take to these songs. Will they even be audible over the jukebox? I’d say MTV got it right when they called Airiel’s music the kind that “belongs in a big cushy pair of headphones.” We’ll find out this weekend if it fits just as well with a big bottle of Straub and a cloud of smoke.
reviewed by: Dan Eldridge for Pittsburgh City Paper |
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winks & kisses: crackled Airiel has been on a year long (give or take a few months) adventure to release their first full length in the form of four 4-song eps. Crackled is the final culmination of this set and shows the progress of Wrenn's writing throughout the project. Furthermore, Airiel has added some depth to the band by having this be a more collaborative project. The entire band, which includes Jeremy Wrenn, Cory Osborne, John Rungger, and newcomer Adam Thompson, collectively write the songs with this disc, while previous discs were primarily done solo by Wrenn. Although Wrenn remains the principle songwriter, the rest of the band wrote "Airtight Angels", while they had input on Wrenn's 3 other tracks. Furthermore, Thompson added some depth to their shimmering sound with a second guitar. Although all these adjustments have been made, the band still sounds like Airiel, but Airiel at its best so far. Wrenn's vocals seem to be progressing in their strength while the intricacies of the band’s arrangements are improving. Crackled begins with an in your face, tight track that is percussive and drowns in fuzzy layers of guitar. The chorus on this song is catchy and sports some cleaner guitar over the fuzz in the background. This is more of an idealized song than I have seen from Wrenn before. It is more blissful and happy with thoughts of an "angel" that he meets in the lofty heights of the sky. "Swimming Through Us" is a slow, shimmering song with great percussion and accents of light guitar over glassy effects. This song seems more patient than Wrenn's other compositions. The music seems to have taken on a life of its own and there is a sense of perfect timing in it. Lyrically, Wrenn writes about relationships once again and draws on images of space and the ocean, accenting the blanketing of guitars in the background. "Where it Belongs" is the longest track on the disc, clocking in at about 8 minutes long. Ironically, this is also the song with the shortest lyrics on the whole disc. "I want to know how far it goes/I can see inside, it's funny/We're insatiable, we are." The lyrics repeat over and over again throughout the song, but the music is so interesting and tight that the song never gets boring. Throughout this disc, I have noticed that the drums have been brought up in the mix and they are more aggressive, tight, and interesting than in the other three Winks and Kisses discs. Throughout the song, Airiel brings to the table quiet moments mixed with high volume shoegaze to make for a fabulous 8-minute song. "Shirley Temple Tidal Wave" is a more subdued track with a slight jazz feel to the bass that is washed in the sea of guitars. Also, Wrenn throws in some good "ah's" to boot. I really like this track because of those classic, pop and Jazz influences you get when you really pay attention. This is a strong conclusion to their Winks and Kisses Series. Airiel has delivered throughout the course of these 4 eps and I highly recommend them all. It would be a shame to say that Crackled could be divorced from its predecessors since it is a culmination of artistic energy over a long period of time. Start from the beginning and buy all four. You will not be disappointed. [5 stars]
reviewed by: Jason for Somewhere Cold |
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E così gli Airiel sono riusciti a completare la loro tetralogia, seppur con esiti altalenanti. Certo, il primo obiettivo - rinverdire i fasti dei dodici pollici targati My Bloody Valentine, come Tremolo o Glider - era oggettivamente al di là della loro portata (della portata di chiunque), ma va riconosciuto che nel giro di sedici pezzi la band USA è riuscita a costruire un percorso coerente, che fra alternanze di chiaroscuri, movimento e stasi è passato attraverso le stagioni senza soluzione di continuità. L'opera è stata concepita come corpus unico e così andrebbe goduta, ma nell'attesa di riascoltarla tutta insieme (e magari di parlarne con maggior costrutto) non possiamo non rimarcare l'aderenza all'ortodossia shoegaze di questo capitolo conclusivo, nonostante la presenza in coda della particolare "Shirley Temple Tidal Wave", unico pezzo dei sedici a rinunciare al feedback e a far risplendere la gentile anima pop di Mr. Wrenn. Si tratta probabilmente di un buon proposito per il futuro, perché l'identita presente degli Airiel è stabilita senza dubbio dalla poderosa "Airtight Angels", tra le cose più prossime al modello Kevin Shields, e alle derive successive della lunga e fragorosa "Where it belongs", che appartiene stilisticamente ai primi Lush. Seguirà meritata metabolizzazione.
reviewed by: Davide Salvatore for Indiepop Italy |
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winks & kisses: melted Each time I hear new music from Jeremy Wrenn, I am nothing but pleased. I like the concept behind Winks and Kisses because it allows the listener to really hear a development in the artist. For those not in the know, Winks and Kisses is a 4 EP set that has been released one EP at a time every season or so. Melted is the third in that serious and the last, Crackled, is due out this spring with a box to buy as an option. Melted contains tracks 9-12 in the series and it is a great contribution. Melted begins with blissfully distorted noise and off-kilter drums. "Jeanette," the first track, has Wrenn's vocals pushed back in the mix swimming in layers of guitars: layered, soaring and noisy. The seemingly erratic drum lines give the song a really unique feel. All the layers are also superimposed upon a pillow of intense fuzz. Perhaps that fuzz is a reflection of some of the ocean imagery in the lyrics. "How can I ever see through you / don't want to sleep / it's a sea again." "Sharron Apple" follows on the heals of "Jeanette" with a quiet, subdued feel at the beginning. I think Wrenn really does an intricate thing with his lyrics on this song. He intertwines the bliss of having the one he loves near but also indicates, both in him and the girl, that there is always a side in ourselves that we fear to show. Perhaps that will chase the ones we love away. Wrenn also displays some of the best vocals on this track. Maybe it's the feel of the song or some emotion he is communicating through it, but it certainly contains what I find to be Wrenn's best vocal work to date. His vocals are back in the mix again, but they contribute something to the song like no other Airiel song I have heard yet. "Firefly" is the only track on Melted that has lyrics and vocals from another artist. Stella Tran contributes beautifully to this track with her ethereal, beautiful vocals. With Wrenn's penchant for writing about relationships in his life, it is nice to have a female counterpart to that appear in the series. This song is more atmospheric and ghostlike than the others on the disc. It gets away from the noise of the other tracks and gives the listener a repose from it at a great time on the EP. What stands out musically on this track is the simple drums and the intricate bass line that sit behind the wash of beautiful guitar and vocals. "In Your Room" is the final track on the EP and it clocks in at 9:26. It is a blissful song with more pop elements than any of the others on the disc. Wrenn's vocals come up in the mix again as if to indicate an answer to Tran in the previous track. In general, I am no fan of lengthy songs, but there are a few that can grab you throughout and make you sit back and bask in the sounds, melody, and vocals. "In Your Room" is one of those tracks. Wrenn's work in this series just keeps getting stronger with each EP. I am excited about Crackled which should be forthcoming in the near future. If shoegaze is your bag, pick up Airiel. You won't be disappointed. [4.5 stars]
reviewed by: Jason for Somewhere Cold |
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winks & kisses: dizzy Dizzy, the second in the Winks and Kisses series by Airiel, is a great follow up to Frosted and actually moves the band's sound forward. This album is more atmospheric than Frosted and the guitar work seems to be more intricate than the discs predecessor. Although only months apart, it is apparent that the band is growing both in song writing skills and vocally. Jeremy really shows his vocal talent on this disc. Lyrically, the album is cohesive and is about a love lost. That being said, let's get right to the songs. "Stratosphere" follows much of the same formula that the band used on Frosted for their song structure: driving bass and drums with layer upon layer of shimmering guitars and noises. What is great about this song is Jeremy's vocal expression. He shows the listener that he can belt it and his vocal ability is marvelous. His vocals mirror the pain found in the lyrics. He states, "I'd never clip my wings, to see you/ reach for a sky/ sky above, I've looked through ... I'd never turn you down with all this blue." "R1" is the second track and is a beautiful instrumental. There is a fade into the song, like you were being dropped into the middle of a story. This song has a jangly, shimmering quality to the guitars with a sort of jazz touch. It conjures images of ocean side cliffs with the ocean beating the rocks below. Perhaps that has to do with me being a Californian, but the picture is familiar enough to most people. "R1" is atmospheric and beautiful. "This is Why I Can't Sleep" keeps that shimmery feeling of "R1". It's a mid-tempo song with a new twist. On this track, Chrissy Bailey of Whimsical lends her vocal talents opposite Jeremy. She has a beautiful voice that really compliments Jeremy's and also plays off the layered guitars wonderfully. I would like to here more male/female vocals in Airiel's compositions. It works perfectly with their sound. The ending of this song is quiet and picturesque. This is a nice contrast to its climax, which is quite a layer of sonics and vocals. Lastly, "500 Deep" rounds out this four song EP. I don't know why, but the drum and bass work on this song reminds me of Tears for Fears in their glory days. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the song is definitely Airiel, but I found this under girding style make the song stand out on the EP and make it my favorite track. There are great guitar parts on this song as well, perhaps the best on the album. It sounds as if the guitars are answering each other through the layers of sound. The guitar parts are distinct, yet blend together perfectly. Clocking in at 9:54, the song eventually takes a turn both in tempo and mood. One thing I like about Airiel is their ability to know when a particular sound or beat would get monotonous and exhausting. "500 Deep" turns from a fast-temp song to an atmospheric, slow song shimmering behind Jeremy's hypnotic vocals. This is a strong addition to the Winks and Kisses series by Airiel. For those into shoegaze, I highly recommend this band. For those starting to explore the genre, this is a low price introduction to a great band. The sound and lyrical content of this disc make it cohesive and strong and I highly recommend it. [4.5 stars]
reviewed by: Jason for Somewhere Cold |
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winks & kisses: frosted Techno influences from the 80's are starting to crop up more and more in indie bands, and I, frankly, and glad for it. Bands like New Order and Pet Shop Boys were some of my favorite bands from my youth and now those bands are influencing a new generation of musicians. Airiel has incorporated some of those elements and combined them with layered guitars and shoegazer elements, making a unique sound. Jeremy Wrenn can be compared with the lead singer of the Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tennant), yet he does not lack his own distinct sound. Frosted is a part of something called the Winks and Kisses series put out by Airiel. It is a set of four ep's that are being produced every 4 or 5 months. Frosted is the first in the series (winter 2002) with Dizzy already out (spring 2003) and two more discs to follow. I like that the band is able to leak out new tracks to their fans every couple of months, keeping people wanting more. Frosted begins with "Liquid Paper." The track begins with soft guitar and Jeremy draws you in with his subtle vocals. It is a medium tempo track with swimming keyboard sounds/washed out guitars as a sonic base for the bass and drums. The track is driven forward by the percussion while Jeremy fills out the meaning of the song with his lyrics and melody. Throughout the album, Jeremy's lyrics speak of relationships and seem to be very personal. "Kiss Me Slowly" has a larger shoegazer influence than "Liquid Paper." Shimmering guitars, driving base, and punctuated percussion underguard Jeremy's somewhat distant vocals. On this song more than any other, Jeremy's vocals are set back into the wall of sonic sound. Again, I would say this is a mid tempo song. One thing I like about Airiel's style is they don't seem to want to rush through a song. They take their time to built subtle elements and sounds into their songs and don't run away with the techno influence by producing some fast tempo over-wrought track that one would expect to find in a cheesy nightclub. For me, "Rainflower" is the highlight of this ep. By far my favorite track on Frosted, it is a slow tempo track with subtle, shimmering guitar, tambourine accents, and a great bass line. Another thing I really like about his band is that Jeremy really is able to carry the songs. His melodies and vocal abilities are soothing, pleasant, and powerful all at the some time. With his vocals on top of the arrangements, I am sent back to a time when radio was playing great music and I bought tapes and vinyl as normal mediums. "Halo" is also a slow tempo track. At first, I was put off by this track because it is so long, clocking in at 10:45. After a few listens, I changed my mind. It is such a quiet, subtle track that it is soothing, wonderful and paints a landscape with its shimmering guitars and pointed percussion. Although not entirely instrumental, this track is like a techno version of all the instrumental bands that have come out as of late (i.e. Saxon Shore, Early Day Miners, and Ester Drang). At about the 7 minute point, the song picks up and the guitars get louder. More layers are added and the drums become more alive and intricate. As the song proceeds, it comes to a crescendo that fades out at the end of the song. Jeremy adds fantastic lyrics to the shimmering music.
I'll take it back I swear All in all, this ep is fantastic. I love the combination of 80's sounds with those of more modern composition and Jeremy brings unique vocals to the current indie scene. [4.5 stars]
reviewed by: Jason for Somewhere Cold |
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