Iress – Photo by Morgan Demeter @mooganphoto
Los Angeles’ Iress is set to bring a beautiful touch of doom to this heavy summer with their second full-length album, Sleep Now In Reverse, out Friday on Dune Altar. Deepening their craft, blending shoegaze, doom, and post-rock, when asked to describe the album in five words or less, frontwoman Michelle Malley was considered in her response: “Seductive. Dynamic. Emotional. Melodic. Cathartic.” We couldn’t agree more. For fans of Faetooth and Chelsea Wolfe, you can preorder the record here. While you await its arrival, enjoy an exclusive full album stream below. As a special treat, we caught up with the “Adele of L.A. Doom” herself to discuss Iress’ evolution, creative process, and the themes that shape their music.
Sleep Now, In Reverse marks a decade of releasing records together as Iress. It’s a fun exercise to listen through your catalog, hearing the growth as artists while maintaining a through-line in your sound. From a fan’s perspective, the core emotion is still there, with a noticeable upward trend in everything from instrumental confidence to production dynamics. Does this ring true from the stage side of the auditorium? Better asked, are these conscious areas you discuss, or would you say this is just a natural evolution of working and performing together?
It has undoubtedly been a natural evolution and progression stemming from our long-standing friendships and years of creating music together. Our shared passion for music and Iress is evident in everything we do. As we have grown, so has our music.
I imagine 2020 was quite frustrating. You’re sitting there with an excellent record on your hands, yet limited in typical promotional abilities for Flaw. How—if at all—did those constricted activities influence your approach to Sleep Now, In Reverse?
As for many, 2020 proved to be a challenging time for our band. Each member faced personal struggles, and we also had to deal with the departure of a bandmate due to the trials brought on by the pandemic. Despite these obstacles, Flaw surpassed our expectations with its success. It opened up new opportunities and gained more attention than we had anticipated, which provided a glimmer of positivity during a tough period. During the pandemic, we also connected with Graham [Walker], our new guitarist and a longtime friend, which has been incredibly positive for us.
Many bands have talked about a tug-of-war between their pandemic and post-pandemic releases, almost as if they’re promoting two records simultaneously. Does that resonate with you? If so, how do you create the space for them to breathe in the world together as individual works and unified representations of Iress?
We didn’t have the opportunity to tour Flaw or have a traditional release show, but it still had a significant impact. Even though it wasn’t a standard release, we didn’t feel like we were simultaneously juggling the promotion of two records. Instead, we were all eager to progress, write new music, and embark on a fresh chapter for Iress.
It’s always interesting to hear the creative journey of a song—or collection of songs—from inception to final product. Did you enter the studio with the songs written, fleshed out as demos, and ready to capture; did the create and capture process happen in tandem, or a mix of both?
It was a true fusion of both elements. The songs were meticulously crafted, demoed, and structured, but we had only managed to rehearse a few of them a handful of times. Given the highly collaborative nature of this album, each of us had to instruct and absorb specific parts and engage in refining and altering certain aspects during our studio sessions with our producer, Alex Estrada (Silver Snakes). Coming together in the studio with Alex was a transformative experience, breathing new life into the music and allowing the songs to flourish right before our eyes.
Could you tell me about the production of Sleep Now, In Reverse? Did you take a familiar route, or did you try something new?
We worked with Alex to record both Solace and Sleep Now, In Reverse at The Pale Moon Ranch [a residential studio in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains east of Los Angeles], which was an unforgettable experience. We decided to incorporate some new and innovative elements [with the new album] while maintaining some similarities with the previous EP. For this project, we took a different approach by recording many of the tracks live, with drums, bass, and guitar all performed together. We also experimented with recording drums and vocals in separate rooms using different microphones and introduced synthesizers. Since this is the most collaborative album we’ve ever created, I had the most fun developing melodies because these songs are so different.
It’s reasonably well-documented that you like to leave lyrical meanings up to interpretation. Without asking for specifics of any song in particular, could you tell me about any personal or professional themes that informed the overall tone of Sleep Now, In Reverse?
The band knows I tend to wait until the last second to finish lyrics. This time, I had the basic framework and meanings of the lyrics, then Graham and I completed them together in the studio during the vocal recording phase – the desert setting of The Pale Moon Ranch brought us even closer to these songs. Though I do like to leave lyrics up to interpretation, I genuinely like to chat about the meanings of our songs. It’s just hard to do in just a few words. I will say that I really let go with these lyrics. I wasn’t in my head as much. I just put everything out there and was true to myself and my raw emotions.
Is there anything more meaningful or meaningfully different about this collection of songs than previous recorded outings?
It feels like the theme of Sleep Now, In Reverse is transformation. We have been through so much. I think we are finally where we need to be, and we know exactly where we want to go.
Is there anything you’d like your listeners to take away from Sleep Now, In Reverse? A thought, feeling, or contemplation?
As a listener, it’s important to see this album as a journey and let it carry you along. Alex joked that an intermission might be necessary because of the record’s emotional depth. When he played ‘Falling’ for his mother during a studio visit, she was moved to tears right before us! It was a powerful moment that made us realize these songs might deeply resonate with our fans.
As you prepare for your upcoming U.K. tour and dates beyond, are there any songs from Sleep Now, In Reverse that are surprising you energetically that you’re excited to perform for fans?
Oh absolutely! First of all, we are thoroughly excited to perform all of our new songs, but I know we have talked about potentially performing ‘Mercy’ at the Arctangent Festival. That would be an epic moment for us. ‘Falling’ and ‘The Remains’ are also super fun to play. I am personally eager to include some of our older songs in the setlist. This will be our inaugural performance of these songs for our UK fans, and it will feel like a fresh experience for all of us.
A DIY band, Iress hit their fundraising goal for their summer U.K. tour. Click here to learn more. For a full list of tour dates, click here.
Fri, Aug 2 – Los Angeles – The Echo (Record Release Show w/ SLUGS, Two Lips)
Sat, Aug 10 – Southampton, UK – Papillon
Tue, Aug 13 – Manchester, UK – Rebellion
Wed, Aug 14 – Brighton & Hove, UK – DUST
Thu, Aug 15 – Bristol, UK – ArcTanGent 2024 @ 11:00 a.m.
Thu, Aug 15 – Sheffield, UK – Corporation
Fri, Aug 16 – Bristol, UK – ArcTanGent 2024 @ 8:00 a.m.
Sat, Aug 17 – Nottingham, UK – Ye Olde Salutation Inn
Sun, Aug 18 – London, UK – The Black Heart
Tue, Aug 20 – Birmingham, UK – The Victoria
Wed, Aug 21 – Exeter, UK – Cavern
Thu, Aug 22 – Bournemouth, UK – The Anvil
Fri, Aug 23 – Leicester, UK – The Big Difference
Sun, Aug 25 – Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK – Zerox
