Sol Eye Sea I by Irepress
LABEL: Translation Loss Records

The occasionally lamentable position of any music aficionado is that, as the years tick by and new bands keep cropping up in front of the radar, it gets harder and harder to find music that makes you feel like you are just starting your journey for the first time. For a band to achieve this once is difficult and applaudable. For that same band to achieve it twice within their first two releases is astounding, but that's exactly what Boston's Irepress have done with their sophomore offering, Sol Eye Sea I.

While Irepress share many similarities with their other post-rock instrumental contemporaries such as Isis, Explosions in the Sky, Russian Circles, et al., they stand out as one of the most unique innovators among a genre which seems to be tiring itself with a profound lack of new ideas. There are elements of jazz, new wave, math-metal, electronica and progressive rock weaving through Sol Eye Sea I . The album sounds young, fresh, and draws up images of sitting on a coastal waterfront with your best friends and your best beer, watching the sun rise. Without the aid of overused, trite cliches Irepress are able to make music that has a profoundly positive lift with each gorgeously composed piece.

“The simple beauty of this record is overwhelming at times while never taking itself too seriously”

The musicianship on the album is impressive, not only because of the skill, speed and energy, but also from the fact that the band avoids the typical post-rock motif of repeating the same phrase for minutes at a time. Even with songs, such as the opener "Diaspora", stretching out past the six minute mark, everything moves remarkably well in almost classical fashion. Intricate guitar-work and high-register arrangements are dominant here, with melody and mood taking over. The simple beauty of this record is overwhelming at times while never taking itself too seriously (re: the samples from cult favorite The Goonies that litter the album).

Going from their first album to this one may be a little pinch of a disappointment, as some of the complex weaving melodies of clean guitar work heavy on Samus Octology are lessened in favor of more riffing and distorted tremolo picking for Sol Eye Sea I, and the production is a little too over-compressed for the sound Irepress seem to be going for. However, with the gentle introduction on this album of electronics and some very powerfully restrained moments of even (gasp!) vocals, it's evident that Irepress are dropping some elements while bringing in new areas to explore. Considering the adventures they've painted for us on the album, is difficult not to trust their lead.


REVIEWED BY NEIL LEVENS
NEIL'S FAVORITE TRACKS: "Cyette Phiur" • "Barrageo" • "Fletchie"