Matthew Iris - Matthew Iris

Matthew Iris

Matthew Iris
​self-released; 2021

3.8 out of 5

By Dan Weston
​

​Matthew Iris is a Chicago based artist, originally from Myrtle Beach, SC who recently released a six song self-titled EP Matthew Iris. The artist explains this is more or less a concept album with a narrative. “It deals with a main character realizing that the love of his life simply isn't right for him. And as he has this epiphany he goes through the 5 stages of grief.”

The music felt goth heavy to me in line with groups like The Cure and Joy Division. Up first is “Tattoo of You'' which is one of the catchier songs on the EP and my personal favorite. There’s a mix of synths, strummed guitar, a little bit of lead guitar and drums. The chorus is memorable, infectious and sort of playful yet dark at the same time which is very much like The Cure to me. Great start!

Up next is “Ludovico” which is a solid song as well. The instrumentation and color is similar to the first song. There are dark sounding synth pads that combine with cleaner guitar. Iris pulls off the falsetto. He sings “I want you / I want you / I want so badly”.

“After hours in the Afterlife” is a little more ballad-esque. The vocals are again the focal point and provide the melodies that will make you come back again. This is a little more Joy Division-esque in tone. The declaration that he is “not the one” is delivered with a sort of confidence that this might be a good thing for him and implies that he wants to move on. 

“Semi-Unscathed’ is actually even more Joy Division-esque. The bass melody, the drums and even the vocals have more of a monotone type quality similar to the way Ian Curtis would sing.

“Old Love Matinee” is a solid song but the song “Final Chapter” is a another highlight. The song starts with organ and vocals. There’s some bass and the song does build like a slow burn. The vocals are very strong and the song felt a closer.

The EP is on the lo-fi side. I wanted a little more fidelity at points. For example, the vocals, while delivered well, could have been treated differently in the mix which could have benefited the dynamics and warmth.

Overall, this is a very solid release. I thought the songwriting was top notch and does a good job exploring the darker shades of post-punk. The songs are cohesive and fans of the aforementioned should enjoy this. Take a listen.

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