Iris

Critics tended to dismiss many 1980s synth-pop outfits, including Erasure and Depeche Mode, as ephemeral, yet those same groups kept fueling a new generation of musicians throughout the following decade who favored catchy melodies built around dense keyboard textures. Reagan Jones, handling vocals and keyboards, teamed with Matt Morris on keyboards and programming to launch the project in 1993 under the name Forgiving Iris. The pair first crossed paths at college while enrolled in an electronic music course, where they realized their overlapping musical preferences. Early on, Forgiving Iris played local clubs around Austin, TX, delivering covers of classic new-wave material. Once they began supporting other acts on bills, the focus shifted toward original compositions. Their contribution of the track “Annie, Would I Lie to You” appeared on the 1996 compilation Electronic Fields, quickly gaining a devoted following in dance clubs and prompting fans to question when a full album might arrive. The group later shortened its name to Iris and issued its debut full-length, Disconnect, on 1 June 1999 through the A Different Drum imprint. Reviewers highlighted the record’s energetic synth-driven grooves, and in summer 2000 Iris received votes for Best Band and Best Album at the inaugural American Synthpop Awards.