ARTIST PROFILE: IRIS
Taking elements of rock, glitch, retro-flavored-synth music, and coloring it with a decidedly melodic worldview, Iris is a band that's hard to classify. And with their new remix release ÒHydraÓ, they extend their musical boundaries even further.
Originally a bar band of sorts, singer Reagan Jones and original keyboardist Matt Morris banded together in the last 90Õs to create uniquely melodic, synth-heavy pop tracks. Their first record, ÒDisconnectÓ spawned the worldwide club hit "Annie, Would I Lie To You?", and was one of the best-selling records in label A Different DrumÕs history. Three more singles followed, but tensions between Reagan and Matt were coming to a head, and the band began to break apart.
Luckily, a few years later, Reagan hooked up with new member Andrew Sega, and started a whole new chapter in the bandÕs history. Adding some guitars to the mix, and taking the production in a more experimentally electronic direction, Iris released ÒAwakeningÓ in 2003. It was memorably organic, powerful, and really showcased ReaganÕs strong songwriting. This would also be the first Iris release on AndrewÕs new label, Diffusion Records. The success of this record led to a European release deal, a full tour of Germany and Switzerland, and festival dates in Sweden and the UK.
During this time, the third record was taking shape. For this record, the band wanted to take a more aggressive approach, add a bit of darkness, and keep pushing the edges of their sound. The mixture of these elements culminated in 2005Õs ÒWrathÓ. Rock-oriented songs collided with electronic beats and evocative, atmospheric soundscapes. The first single, ÒAppetiteÓ went to 1 on mainstream radio in Poland, and the band set off again for more European shows, festivals in Moscow and London, and toured with electro-pop luminaries such as De/Vision and Mesh.
Fast-forward to the present, and we see the band releasing their first CD/DVD combo release, ÒHydraÓ. Featuring 3 brand new tracks, as well as remixes from bands like Mesh, Alpinestars, Datguy, Benz & MD, ÒHydraÓ lets other talented producers take the Iris sound and add their own stamp on it. Bundled together with a 40 minute Òbehind the scenesÓ tour diary DVD, ÒHydraÓ writes yet another chapter in the constantly evolving Iris story.
Band Members:
Reagan Jones (vox, songwriting)
Andrew Sega (keyboards, guitars, production)
Additional live members incude:
Ned Kirby (keys, bass)
Brian Pearson (guitars)
