A Winged Victory for the Sullen – Iris – Album Review by Killian Laher

The third album from ambient duo A Winged Victory for the Sullen was released last week to little fanfare. A soundtrack to the French movie Iris, directed by Jalil Lespert, it initially seems less inviting than their previous albums. Sure, it’s very dark and brooding but even by their standards, this is a subtle work. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its moments, such as the swelling strings which weave in and out of a bed of electronics on Retour au Champs de Mars, or the sweeping strings on Fantasme. Electronics are more prominent than previous albums, pulsing through Gare du Nord Part One and Le Retour En Foret. It’s tricky not to lapse into cliché with this kind of music but the latter would work well soundtracking footage of frozen wastes. More than ever, this is an album made to be listened to on headphones, particularly on the exercise in building suspense that is Metro Part Three.

Galerie is the track most similar to their previous work but it’s strangely out of place here amongst the tense soundscapes. One to listen to in the dark, just watch it doesn’t scratch your eyes out. Music to soundtrack anxious times. It’s available here.

Track List:

1. Prologue Iris
2. Retour Au Champs De Mars
3. Fantasme
4. Gare Du Nord Part One
5. L’embauche
6. Le Retour En Foret
7. Metro Part Three
8. Flashback Antoine
9. Galerie
10. Le Renversement
11. Normandie
12. Comme On A Dit

Galerie: