11-19-08: Starz Denver Film Festival @ 3 Kings Tavern w/ Ian Cooke and Dust on the Breakers.
Press
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ARTIST REVIEW: “Sometimes the most brilliant musical minds come in the most unassuming packages. This is certainly the case with Tom Metz. His project, Iuengliss, is a one-man affair that consists of Metz and his laptop. While this setup might seem boring in the live setting, Metz takes on an intense yet transcendental character while singing along with the vividly textured, transporting music surrounding him. Rather than weave an otherworldly beauty, Metz’s evocatively melodic voice humanizes a style of music that typically embraces inorganic sounds. Soothing music can often come across as saccharine, but the resonant, dulcet tones of Iuengliss are calming to the soul. The long-lost stories of Philip K. Dick speak of hope and peace instead of nightmarish dystopia and paranoia, and Iuengliss (due at the Meadowlark on Friday, August 29) is the ideal soundtrack to those hidden masterpieces.” - Denver Westward, Aug 2008. Written by Tom Murphy.
SHOW REVIEW: Iuengliss brought the level up with energetic, jerky dancing and some absolutely killer moments in his set, which was more song-oriented. Tom Metz, Iuengliss’s mastermind, infused his grooves and drones with a notable amount of complexity and ingenuity, while his treated vocals were all tasteful and added another layer to the music. Rooted in more traditional dance terrain, the act’s tunes alternately exploded and imploded into bizarrely cool volume and texture changes. Iuengliss’s recorded output doesn’t express the intensity of the act’s show, though live the comparisons that a few critics and listeners have made to a one-man Sigur Ros still hold true to some extent. - Denver Westward, July 2008. Written by James Anthofer.
SHOW REVIEW: It also pushed local act Iuengliss on far too early, which unfortunately only allowed a handful of people to see this one-man-band do what he does best. Tom Metz, Iuengliss’s only member, has a pleasant demeanor that instantly greets you on stage. You can’t help but feel proud of the guy for getting up there with his laptop and synth to bellow his dreamy, hymn-like vocals, which fall perfectly over his home-recorded, landscaped rhythm tracks. It’s similar to Aphex Twin but with lyrics that recall to Sigur Rós — or Sunday church (they’re more high-pitched echoes that ring long and with grace, causing you to believe that everything for those moments is beautiful and forgiving). - Denver Post, Jan 2008. Written by Lisa . link
ARTIST REVIEW: “Iuengliss (www.myspace.com/iuengliss) isn’t the most captivating live performer. In fact, when I caught him last month at the Oriental, I actually nodded off during his set. But that’s more a testament to the sure dreaminess of the music — glitchy IDM in the realm of Squarepusher, Aphex Twin or Autechre, infused with the ethereal cherubic vocals of Sigur Rós — than an indictment of his stage presence. After all, short of lighting himself on fire or something, a guy hovering over a laptop and crooning intermittently can only be so riveting to watch. But any lack there disappears once you listen to the music.” - Denver Westward, Feb 2008. Written by Dave Herrera.
SHOW REVIEW: “Tom Metz’s glitch-laden ambient electronic project Iuengliss got things moving on the stage, Metz lording over his laptop under dim red lights, occasionally layering and sampling vocals while tapping at his computer’s keyboard. Calliope organ accents steered some songs in carnivalesque directions, the vocals switching effortlessly from minor to major keys, but mostly Metz stuck to engaging, pleasantly compressed soundscapes (yeah, I said “soundscapes”) and more pointed numbers that recalled the Postal Service. Interested? Check him out tonight at the Meadowlark at 10 p.m. with Jon Solomon.” - Denver Post, Jan 2008. Written by John Wenzel.
ALBUM REVIEW: “From the opening cut of Wake-Up Time, Iuengliss’s latest effort, the act invokes the feeling of rising on a sunny day in early spring, after the snows have subsided and the burning heat of the summer is still weeks away. Fittingly titled, the disc captivates the imagination while simultaneously refreshing the mind and rejuvenating the spirit with its meticulously crafted, gently cascading rhythms. Filled with hope, goodwill and a sense of wonderment at life’s intriguing little mysteries and simple joys, Wake-Up effectively recalls Sigur Rós’s most beautiful moments — only with lyrics sung in English rather than Hopelandic. It’s not all fluffy clouds and infinite horizons here, though, as evidenced by Ian Haywood’s shadowy guitar work on songs such as “The Chance.” But overall, Iuengliss makes a bold, affectionately convincing case that it’s a great time to be alive.” - Denver Westward, Oct 2007. Written by Tom Murphy.
ARTIST REVIEW: “Denver and Boulder have had plenty of artists producing original electronica over the years, but rarely seem to cross over to the area’s predominantly rockist crowd. Iuengliss might be the latest to find some wider recognition: Like local faves George & Caplin, Iuengliss’ Tom Metz crafts a melodic concoction of ambience, sighing vocals, and epic meloncholy. Metz leans more to the IDM side of things, though, layering glitchy beats and glassy synths on his debut full-lenght Wake-Up Time, celebrated at this release show. Iuengliss’ performance will be augmented by live visuals from Adam Singer, and the cozy, subterranean Meadowlark should be the ideal setting for the type of electronica better suited to soaking in than dancing to.” - The Onion, Aug 2007