Airiel, an American shoegaze band from Chicago, Illinois, was formed in 1997 by guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Wrenn and Shawn Delaney. After releasing two songs for a split EP, they debuted with the single "Shirley Temple Tidal Wave" in 1999 on Roisin Recordings. Between 2003 and 2004, Airiel released four EPs titled Winks & Kisses. In 2007, they released their debut full-length studio album, The Battle of Sealand, on Highwheel Records. The band was named official lords of the micronation Principality of Sealand and invited to perform a concert there. After relocating to Chicago in late 2007, Airiel toured the UK and Ireland with Ulrich Schnauss. In 2012, they returned with the EP Kid Games on Shelflife Records, followed by their second studio album, Molten Young Lovers, in 2017.