Airiel
Available now from Shelflife, we present a first debut listen to Airiel’s new album Molten Young Lovers that is the anticipated follow-up to the Kid Games EP from 2012. Chicago’s valient daydream painters Jeremy Wrenn, Andrew Marrah, Matt Blanton & Spencer Kiss build new sorts of satellites & sound crafts that push the heights & extents of their sound between the expanses of yesterday’s gazers & today’s dream pop believers.
Molten Young Lovers is Airiel’s ode to classic romanticism recalled from the recesses of memory. Crystallized memories bronzed like family heirlooms & other such relics that ignite the sections of sensory recollected like the timeless “This is Permanent”, to cloud-busting considerations of world turning guitar arrangements on “Cloudburst”, to the intimate kiss portrait portrayals of “Your Lips, My Mouth”. The title track brings back those rushes of awkward feelings from when you were the awkward wallflower without a date at that particular school dance, to the fever headed rushes of feelings & confusion found on “Mind Furnace”, as the entire heavens seem to virtually open up & spill out their contents upon the citizens of earth on “Sharron Apple”. The globes spin, swirl & swim on floral electric guitar flutters on “Song of You”, right before an emotive laden expression of inward sentiments channeled through vintage 4AD roster methodologies heard on “Inside Out” & continued forward to the confessional emerald guitar progressions & tones on “Keep You”. Percussion thunders with passion on the beautiful & bountiful chord display of “Red Car”, to the colloquial expressions of truths, fashions & fallacies on “You Sweet Talker” that arrives at the conclusive curtain call “The Painkillers” that obliterates the pain with some of the most fascinating guitar effects & frequencies employed in the newest breakthroughs in the sneaker-gaze game.
Airiel provided us with the following exclusive song by song look at their new album:
Molten Young Lovers TRACK BY TRACK:
“The Is Permanent”
This about going out, hooking up, and getting wasted. It’s pretty simple. Jeremy droned out on one chord for an hour, we doubled the tempo and bang, instant hit.
“Cloudburst”
Trying to sort out the complexities of a relationship. It’s about being so addicted to someone that you can’t bear to ever see them leave.
“Your Lips, My Mouth”
This is about wanting the one you can’t have. Things got close and then fell apart. This is Andrew’s favorite song on the album.
“Molten Young Lovers”
This is all about being smitten. The giddy excitement of a new relationship and all of the joys it brings. First time Jeremy has recorded with a Bass VI since “Ri”.
“Mind Furnace”
Lust. Pure and simple. This came about late one night in the studio with Jeremy and Andrew suddenly playing intersecting guitar parts.
“Sharron Apple”
This was re-recorded because it has always needed to break away from its drum machine roots. We made it grittier, as it naturally progressed after years of being played in live settings.
“Song of You”
This is a simple love song. Who is about? That’s for the listener to decide. This is another example of Spencer’s synth contributions to the album.
“Inside Out”
This song is full of innuendo. Jeremy’s original guitar track had been recorded with an iPhone app and had this over the top fuzz that we recreated in the studio using an old cab radio preamp.
“Keep You”
A very old Airiel song. Originally written in 1998, it’s one of the few that uses a non-standard tuning. It’s about a boy trying hard to keep a relationship intact with a girl, which breaks the normal genderless quality to Airiel songs. There was a female part that sang opposite from the boy, but this was abandoned.
“Red Car”
The lyrics are all loosely based around nightmares—that feeling where you have absolutely no control and are being manipulated from dark places.
“You Sweet Talker”
Everyone seems to have a friend that does nothing but take advantage of you. This is about them. We were lucky to borrow DUVV while she was in Chicago working on one of her albums. She was briefed on the background of the song on the ride to the studio. Your words are like honey, but your actions, still they sting…
“The Painkillers”
This really should be called “The Buzzkillers”. It’s about having to drag someone around so that they lighten up and have a good time. One of the more aggressive tracks and our new set ender at live shows.
Airiel’s album Molten Young Lovers is available now via Shelflife.
