Airiel

Formed in '97 by Jeremy Wrenn, it was initially a solo project supported by various drum machines. However, he had dreams of entertaining the masses located outside of the confines of his bedroom, so he drafted local music scene veterans Cory Osborne and John Rungger on bass and drums. But the heady mélange was not completed until guitarist Chris De Brizzio entered the fray.

Many bands today are an exercise in minimalism, stripping everything down to the bone and sinew. Airiel takes a different approach. Injecting their well-crafted songs with enough effects to level a small village, they stretch and expand the sonic boundaries of the genre until the listener is completely deluged by an aural wave of reverb, distortion and sweat. They are advancing the art of sheer sonic energy while utilizing the power of a good melody to provide a basis for the effects, never forgetting the innate human desire to shake one's ass. In short, it's loud, it's beautiful, and you can dance to it.

Through Clairecords (Sacramento), Airiel released a series of 4-song EP's titled Winks & Kisses. The EP's were also sold as a limited edition box set, capturing the evolution of Airiel in its current form. Their cds are consistently some of the top sellers of the label, and they have already sold out of the Frosted EP. In June of 2005 Airiel released their newest EP. This self-titled EP further illustrates Airiel's ever-evolving sound and provides a glimpse at their promise with blistering waves of gorgeous guitars, kinetic drum beats and soaring vocal harmonies. The group has also been asked to contribute to several compilation cds, including the "Never Lose That Feeling" compilation by Club AC30(UK).

In addition to their recordings, Airiel has also gained a reputation for being a stellar live band. Utilizing video projection (courtesy of Arturo Valle of Panic Films) and amps that go up to eleven, they are able to win hearts and minds even in the most hostile of hipster-promo environments. In addition to playing such local Chicago landmarks as the Double Door, Subterranean, and the Bottom Lounge, recently they have begun plying their trade farther afield, in such locales as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. This summer, they embarked on their first tour of the East Coast, hitting New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and points in between. Airiel has also opened for some high-profile acts, including The Dears and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.