I used to rather enjoy a band called Stricken City. And also a London solo artist named Nic Nell. Fast forward a few years and the former's frontwoman Rebekah Raa has come together with the latter (now in his producer guise of Casually Here) to form RAINER - matching sultry vocals with a dizzying experimental pop. Their debut single is out today, and the band will be playing a free gig tonight at London venue Birthdays to celebrate.
I won't lie - debut tracks 'Swallow' and 'Silence' didn't really impress, both falling more on the meandering rather than the engaging. But hearing the Animal Collective-esque 'Girls' gave me renewed hope. Indeed, there's quite a (welcome) touch of Stricken City to the track. The track is the band's debut single, along with its sweary double A-side partner 'Money'. A musical outfit not short on imagination.
Purchase 'Money'/Girls' at ASL Records.