Airiel: The Battle of Sealand (High Wheel)

Chicago quartet Airiel has been around for a decade, over which they’ve honed a style that, while clearly derivative of some great shoegaze and post-punk bands, belongs to neither genre entirely. It’s something weird and dark, and as The Battle of Sealand testifies, the group is adept at the style they’ve concocted. Hints of the band’s talents have surfaced over the past few years, on a string of EPs released on small indie labels. The Battle of Sealand is a long-playing supplement to those brief albums, and as every track on it shows, the group is capable of sustaining listeners’ attention for more than a handful of songs.

The Battle of Sealand recalls synth-heavy rock music from the early ’90s. My Bloody Valentine’s influence is noticeable, though Airiel sidesteps the experimentation that made albums like Loveless so appealing. Instead of sonic toying, Airiel instead uses old-fashioned melody to push the songs forward. “Peoria” is a good example of this; while frontman Jeremy Wrenn harmonizes with bassist Cory Osborne, the rest of the band pulsates with an energy that makes their end-of-the-world jams sound almost delightful, or at least danceable. Add to that synths—lots of synths—that color every inch of this hour-plus-long album, and enough cave-like reverb to make you want to go spelunking. (www.airiel.com)

By Mark Sanders

10/2007