Music From Memory’s latest archival release rescues a short-lived collaboration between Rudy Tambala, of A.R.Kane, and Alison Shaw, of Cranes. Assuming the alias, Inrain, the pair, in 1991, produced a solitary  3-track 7 for Rough Trade. 

The songs were created in Tambala’s H.Ark! Studios, in Stratford, situated in London’s then un-gentrified, less than salubrious, East End.* Tambala, at the time, was also working with the pioneering UK post-rockers Bark Psychosis and Papa Sprain, and Inrain’s music explores similar experimental, improvisational sonic territory. 

Grow marries acoustic strum with cathartic, electric chiming. Sparse, Lo-Fi, and rinsed with reverb, it represents the duo at their most A.R.Kane. …And Julie Rose is a loose lullaby, delivered in Shaw’s distinctive, childlike vocals, and set to romantic elevator muzak. Something about its drum machines, tones and textures suggesting Sarah Records’ Field Mice. 

Sleep is suitably dream-like. A slow, unhurried drift of pretty guitar picking and distant whispers. The song’s room-shaking bass boom, nodding to dub, and bringing to mind Bowery Electric. The effect woozy, like shoegaze waking, played unplugged, and falling within Music From Memory’s remit of “deviant pop” walking “uneven paths”. 

The new 12 also features a bonus, in the shape of Biology, a synergy of slowly slashed chords and electronic squelches. A tune so sedate as to be practically beatless. Throughout Shaw’s unique, high-pitched voice, in this context, brings a prophetic, post-rave, ethereal, otherworldly, Burial-esque quality. The EP is throughly recommended for folks who are into modern outfits such as Jabu and Th Blisks.  

*Tambala eventually had to vacate the premises due to threats from local gangs. Extra info taken from Jeanette Leech’s fantastic post-rock document, Fearless. 

Inrain’s Rise can be ordered directly from Music From Memory. The digital package comes with a bonus Piano Mix of Sleep.