Brief history lesson, Cranes first came to prominence in 1990 with their debut release for Dedicated the “Inescapable” EP. They had the misfortune to find themselves suddenly hyped hysterically, lumped in with the shoegazing scene by some lazy music journos and then, to top it all off, even got labelled as goths by some of the even duller hacks. All of which was pretty outrageous stuff. Cranes were a breath of fresh air in the stodgy early 90’s music scene. Innovative and atmospheric, their unique sound fused classical influences and some very obscure rock ones. It was music to loose yourself in, with Alison’s indecipherable lyrics leaving the mind free to imagine and more often than not conjured images of faded grandeur, like Shelley’s “Ozymandias”.
So, 14 years on from their emergence, where are Cranes now? Their influence can be felt all over the leftfield from bands like Mum, Sigur Ros and many more. However, the band themselves continue to chart new sonic territories and continue to unnerve and delight in equal measure. Nowadays, they’re as comfortable using their guitars as they are electronics and the sound now covers a broader range than before. Gentle electronics, acoustic strummings, big dubby sounds, haunting pianos, spacey guitars and
Alison’s haunting voice all fuse beautifully. “Particles & Waves” is classic Cranes – intelligent, moving, surprising and original.