A.R. Kane

Last updated

A.R. Kane
Ar-kane-sire.jpg
Promotional image of A.R. Kane
Background information
Origin East London, England
Genres
Years active1986–1994, 2016–2018, 2023-present
Labels Rough Trade, 4AD, One Little Indian, Luaka Bop
SpinoffsJübl
Members
  • Rudy Tambala
Past members
  • Alex Ayuli
Website arkane.co.uk

A.R. Kane (sometimes AR Kane or A.R.Kane) is a British musical duo formed in 1986 by Alex Ayuli and Rudy Tambala. After releasing two early EPs to critical acclaim, the group topped the UK Independent Chart with their debut album 69 (1988). Their second album, "i" (1989), was also a top 10 hit. They were also part of the one-off collaboration MARRS, whose surprise dance hit "Pump Up the Volume" was released in 1987. Ayuli is believed to have coined the term "dreampop" in the late 1980s to describe their eclectic sound, which blended elements such as effects-laden guitars, dub production, and drum machine backing. [2]

Contents

The group broke up in 1994. Though their work fell into relative obscurity in subsequent years, they have been characterised by critics as among the most innovative and underrated groups of their era, and recognized as an influence on styles such as shoegaze, trip hop, and post-rock. [3] [4] [5] [6] In 2012, One Little Indian released Complete Singles Collection, which compiled the group's single and EP releases.

Tambala briefly reformed A.R. Kane from 2016 to 2018 with Maggie Tambala and guitarist Andy Taylor but without Ayuli. This reformation was later spun-off as its own band, Jübl, which has since released two singles and a studio album.

History

Origins

Ayuli and Tambala first met as school children in an East London primary school. Ayuli is of Nigerian descent, while Tambala was born to a Malawian father and English mother. Both were involved in formative and culturally diverse music communities as adolescents, [7] with Ayuli part of a dub soundsystem and Tambala part of a jazz-funk scene. [4] In 1983, Ayuli became an advertising copywriter, one of few black creatives working in the London ad business. The two were both inspired by a mid-1980s Channel 4 performance by Cocteau Twins; Tambala explained: "They had no drummer. They used tapes and technology and Liz Fraser looked completely otherworldly with those big eyes. And the noise coming out of Robin [Guthrie]'s guitar! That was the 'Fuck! We could do that! We could express ourselves like that!' moment." [4]

Attending a party in 1986, Tambala was asked how he and Ayuli knew each other; he lied that the two played together in a band, going on to describe their sound as "a bit Velvet Underground, a bit Cocteau Twins, a bit Miles Davis, a bit Joni Mitchell". A week later, the two were contacted by a label on the strength of Tambala's fabrication. [4] The duo recorded their demo without a drummer, using a guitar and two cassette players. [8]

1986–1994: Recordings

In 1986, A.R. Kane released their debut single "When You're Sad" on One Little Indian. The duo were initially grouped with other "noise pop" acts, and were hailed in the press as "the black Jesus and Mary Chain", despite claiming to have never heard the work of that band. [9] The next year the group signed to 4AD to release the follow-up 1987 EP Lollita, which was produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins and saw the duo melding dub production, guitar feedback, free jazz and studio experimentation. [4] [9] While at 4AD, label chief Ivo Watts-Russell suggested that Ayuli and Tambala team with roster mates Colourbox, champion mixer Chris "C.J." Mackintosh, and London DJ Dave Dorrell to record a one-off single. Dubbing the collaboration M/A/R/R/S, the resulting single, "Pump Up the Volume" was a breakthrough effort heralding sampling's gradual absorption from hip-hop into dance music and ultimately the pop mainstream, reaching number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1987. [9]

A.R. Kane followed with their highly anticipated debut album, 69 (1988), which topped the independent charts and received rave critical reviews from the UK music press. [5] Writing for Melody Maker , critic Simon Reynolds described 69 as "the outstanding record of '88." [10] A.R Kane's next release was 1989's Love-Sick EP, followed later that year by their second studio album, "i" , in which they engaged more overtly with pop, dance and electronic styles. The duo, dismissive of the wildly disparate attempts by journalists to categorize their unique sound, eventually began referring to their music as "dreampop"; the term was widely adopted by music critics thereafter. [11] Like its predecessor, "i" was released to moderate sales figures and topped the independent charts. [12] Also in 1989, Rough Trade released the Pop EP.

In the early 1990s, the band went on hiatus. During this time, Ayuli and Tambala founded the label H.ark and released EPs by acts such as Papa Sprain and Butterfly Child. [12] Rough Trade went bankrupt in 1991. In 1992, US label Luaka Bop released a 15-song US retrospective of the band's work, titled Americana. Greg Kot of The Chicago Times described the compilation as "a chronicle of sonic innovation in which the boundary between melody and noise, pop and the avant-garde, is blurred continually." [13] The duo ended their hiatus thereafter to record a follow-up album, New Clear Child (1994), and then dissolved following its release.

1994–2014: Post-breakup

Following the dissolution of A.R. Kane, Tambala made ambient- and dub-based music with his sister Maggie under the alias Sufi [14] and released the 1995 album Life's Rising on Caroline Records. Tambala serves as head of new media for Ministry of Sound, and previously worked for Virgin Digital in non-musical roles. He has also recorded as MusicOne. [15]

Ayuli was known to be a museum curator in the US. He put out releases under the name Alex!. [16] In 2006, Ayuli contributed vocals to two tracks ("Soulsong" and "Passage") on the album Primario by the Static Discos artist Fax, and also appeared on Fax's album Zig Zag. [17] Ayuli appeared in Beautiful Noise, a documentary on the shoegazing music scene of the 1990s [18]

A.R. Kane's first two albums were reissued in the US by One Little Indian in 2004, and New Clear Child was reissued by 3rd Stone in 2000. Complete Singles Collection, a compilation of the group's EPs and singles, was released in 2012.

2015-present: Reformation and spinoff as Jübl

In 2015, it was announced by Tambala that a quasi-reformation of A.R. Kane, bringing together new and old collaborators, would be taking place that year under the name #A.R.Kane and without the involvement of Ayuli. [19]

In 2018, the revived band (featuring Rudi and Maggie Tambala plus guitarist Andy Taylor) renamed itself Jübl as part of a "forward-thinking rebrand". Rudi commented "I wanted to do something for the 30th anniversary (of 69), to give back to people some of the feeling they have shared with us, and to mark the moment. We discussed remasters, t-shirts, box-sets, re-recording some of the tracks, concerts, re-mixing the entire LP, and so on, but there were ownership and rights issues that became impenetrable barriers, so I just kinda gave up. Then one morning in May I just thought "Fuck it, it's a month away, just get the fuck out of bed and do something." Over coffee I realised that we could only move forward and be free from the nonsense by renaming the band, hence "Jübl". From that moment on everything just clicked into place. The three of us have been performing as A.R. Kane since 2016, and writing new songs too, so the material was there, we just had to make that final push." [20]

Following the name change, Jübl issued two singles - "Thinking Sweet" (in June 2018) [20] [21] and "Quiet Sun Slips Over" (in June 2019), both of which would later appear on their first album under the new name, DNA Cowboys, released independently on 1 September 2019. [22]

In 2023 A.R. Kane released a limited-edition vinyl boxset A.R. Kive containing remastered versions of the 69 and "i" LPs and the Up Home! EP (all originally released by Rough Trade from 1988–89) plus new remixes by artists including Slowdive. [23] [24] [25] Coinciding with this release, Tambala played two live dates as A.R. Kane at The Social and Cafe Oto in London. The lineup for these shows included Maggie Tambala and Budgie on clarinet, credited by Tambala as the player on 'The Sun Falls Into The Sea'. [26] [27]

Legacy and influence

Critic Jason Ankeny described A.R. Kane as "arguably the most criminally under-recognized band of their era" and an important progenitor of such musical developments as shoegazing, trip hop, ambient dub and post-rock. [6] The Guardian has called their work "some of the 80s' most extraordinary music" and noted their influence on subsequent artists such as My Bloody Valentine. [4] The group have been recognized for breaking stereotypes about the styles accessible to black musicians at a time when most popular black artists were relegated to soul, reggae and hip hop. [5] [4] Critic Simon Reynolds tentatively referred to A.R. Kane as "the great lost group of the 80s," while pointing out that the group in fact enjoyed fervent support in certain circles of the press and surrounding music scenes during the period. [5] Reynolds later wrote that "A.R. Kane weren't a rock band in the conventional sense [...they] were more like an experimental guitar pop unit who loved to push the recording studio to its limits." [5] Their work was characterized by frieze as "dreamy experimental pop." [28] Pitchfork wrote that, "embracing dub, soul and paisley pop, A.R. Kane pushed boundaries most of their contemporaries completely ignored." [29]

Bands such as Seefeel, Slowdive, Long Fin Killie, Dubstar, and the Veldt/Apollo Heights have cited A.R. Kane as an influence. [24]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Compilation albums

Related Research Articles

Shoegaze is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume. It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state. The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.

Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo, and chorus. It often overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the two genre terms have at times been used interchangeably.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cocteau Twins</span> Scottish rock band

Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth by Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981. They signed with the record label 4AD in 1982 and released their debut album Garlands. In 1983, Heggie was replaced with multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde. The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Fraser, whose lyrics often eschew any recognisable language. They pioneered the 1980s alternative subgenre of dream pop and helped define what would become shoegaze.

<i>Last Splash</i> 1993 studio album by the Breeders

Last Splash is the second album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on August 30, 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, the Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet. Last Splash peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and by June 1994, the album had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of one million units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slowdive</span> British shoegaze band

Slowdive are an English rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell, Neil Halstead, Christian Savill (guitars), Nick Chaplin (bass), and Simon Scott, all of whom played on the band's early records. Halstead is the band's primary songwriter.

<i>Isnt Anything</i> 1988 studio album by My Bloody Valentine

Isn't Anything is the debut studio album by Irish-English rock band My Bloody Valentine, released on 21 November 1988 by Creation Records. Its innovative guitar and production techniques consolidated the experimentation of the band's preceding EPs and would make the album a pioneering work of the subgenre known as shoegazing. Upon its release, the album received rave critical reviews and reached No. 1 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying Saucer Attack</span> English experimental space rock band

Flying Saucer Attack is an English space rock band formed in Bristol in 1992, led by songwriter David Pearce. Rachel Brook of Movietone was a member during the band's early incarnation; Other musicians contributing to the group's recordings and live performances included Rocker, Matt Elliott and Sam Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wolfgang Press</span> English post-punk band

The Wolfgang Press are an English post-punk band, originally active from 1983 to 1995. The core of the band during that era was Michael Allen, Mark Cox (keyboards), and Andrew Gray (guitar). They reformed in 2024 with Stephen Gray, brother of Andrew, replacing Cox, to release a new LP titled "A 2nd Shape" on Downwards Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Goswell</span> British singer-songwriter

Rachel Ann Goswell is an English singer-songwriter and musician who rose to prominence as vocalist and guitarist of the shoegaze band Slowdive, which formed in 1989. Goswell, along with Neil Halstead, Ian McCutcheon and former Chapterhouse member Simon Rowe became Mojave 3 when Slowdive transitioned to a more country/folk rock style. She released a solo album in 2004, titled Waves Are Universal on 4AD Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Telescopes</span> English space rock band

The Telescopes are an English noise, space rock, dream pop and psychedelic band formed in 1987 by artist, composer, and musician Stephen Lawrie, with band members David Fitzgerald and Joanna Doran joining later. The band's line-up is in constant flux; there can be anywhere between 1 and 20 members on a recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pump Up the Volume (song)</span> 1987 single by M|A|R|R|S

"Pump Up the Volume" is the only single by British recording act M|A|R|R|S. Recorded and released in 1987, it was a number-one hit in many countries and is regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British house music and music sampling. The song derives its title directly from a lyrical sample from "I Know You Got Soul", a hit single by labelmates Eric B. & Rakim, released months prior in that same year.

Shelleyan Orphan were a British alternative music group that peaked during the 1980s and early 1990s. They played a style of pop influenced by chamber music, and which featured dual male-female vocals.

Ethereal wave, also called ethereal darkwave, ethereal goth or simply ethereal, is a subgenre of dark wave music that is variously described as "gothic", "romantic", and "otherworldly". Developed in the early 1980s in the UK as an outgrowth of gothic rock, ethereal wave was mainly represented by 4AD bands such as Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil, and early guitar-driven Dead Can Dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison's Halo</span> Musical group in Tempe, Arizona

Alison's Halo is a band from Tempe, Arizona. Their sound, distinguished by dreamy vocals and loud, spacey guitars, is often also associated with shoegaze and dream pop.

Swallow were a British-based duo of Mike Mason and Louise Trehy. Signed to 4AD, they only released one studio album and one remix collection before leaving the label. They moved on to Rough Trade Records for a further EP before disbanding.

<i>69</i> (album) 1988 studio album by A.R. Kane

69 is the debut album by British band A.R. Kane, released in 1988 on Rough Trade Records and produced by the band with additional co-production from Ray Shulman. Following the release of their acclaimed Lollita and Up Home! EPs, 69 developed the experimental "dream pop" style named and pioneered by the duo, blending elements of dub, psychedelia, noise, jazz, and pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Gruesome</span> Welsh band

Joanna Gruesome were a five-piece noise pop band from Cardiff, Wales. The name of the group is a reference to musician Joanna Newsom. They released two albums and a number of singles, were known for their energetic live shows, as well as their forthright feminist and anti-homophobic views.

<i>Mad Love</i> (EP) 1990 EP by Lush

Mad Love is the debut extended play by the English alternative rock band Lush. It was released on 26 February 1990 by 4AD. Produced by Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie, Mad Love was composed of four tracks—including a rerecording of "Thoughtforms", a song from Lush's debut mini-album Scar (1989).

<i>Sweetness and Light</i> (EP) 1990 EP by Lush

Sweetness and Light is the second extended play by the English alternative rock band Lush. It was released on 15 October 1990 on 4AD. Featuring a less abrasive sound than the band's earlier releases, the title track was also released as Lush's first single and included the B-side "Breeze".

<i>New Clear Child</i> 1994 studio album by A.R. Kane

New Clear Child is the third and final studio album by A.R. Kane, released in September 1994 on Luaka Bop. It was recorded in London and San Francisco and produced with Chris Cuben-Tatum. The album's closing track, "Sea Like a Child", was released in June as the lead single.

References

  1. ↑ Tate, Greg (8 April 1990). "Black to the Futurism". Artforum. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. ↑ King, Richard (2012). How Soon is Now?: The Madmen and Mavericks who made Independent Music 1975–2005. Faber & Faber. p. 206. ISBN   978-0-571-27832-9.
  3. ↑ Purdom, Tim (13 November 2012). "A love from outer space: dream-pop icons A.R. Kane interviewed". Fact Magazine. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fitzpatrick, Rob (19 September 2012). "AR Kane: how to invent shoegaze without really trying". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Reynolds, Simon. "ReynoldsRetro". Reynoldsretro.blogspot.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. 1 2 "A.R. Kane – Biography & History – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "The Quietus – Features – A Quietus Interview – The Future Came And Went: A. R. Kane Interviewed". Thequietus.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Eady, Will. "A MOMENT IN MUSIC HISTORY: A.R. KANE AND THE BIRTH OF DREAM POP". I Am The Industry. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "A.R. Kane Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  10. ↑ Reynolds, Simon (1988). "A.R. Kane: Supercolourfragilelipsticksexyallahdosehush". Melody Maker . Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "The official website for independent record label 4AD". 4AD. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  12. 1 2 Reynolds, Simon. "ReynoldsRetro". Reynoldsretro.blogspot.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  13. ↑ Kot, Greg (6 February 1992). "Noise Makers". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "SUFi – Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "MusicOne – Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  16. ↑ "Alex! – Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  17. ↑ "cloudchamber". 1 October 2009. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  18. ↑ "Beautiful Noise". IMDb.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  19. ↑ "Cult dream-pop act A.R. Kane announce first show in 20 years". Factmag.com. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  20. 1 2 'Song Premiere: "Thinking About You" by Jübl', The Big Takeover, 5 June 2018
  21. ↑ 'Review: Jübl – Thinking Sweet EP', 27 June 2018 on thinkinglyrically music blog
  22. ↑ DNA Cowboys | Jübl, 1 September 2019 on Bandcamp
  23. ↑ Thornton, Jonathan (8 September 2023). "The Quietus | Features | Reissue Of The Week | Reissue Of The Week: A.R. Kane's A.R. Kive". The Quietus. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  24. 1 2 Johnstone, Johnnie (15 June 2023). "A.R. Kive [A.R. Kane 1988-1989] - Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 July 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  25. ↑ Reynolds, Simon (27 September 2023). "Catching Up With Rudy Tambala of A.R. Kane, the Best '80s Dream-Pop Band You've Never Heard". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  26. ↑ "Personality Clash: Whitelands vs A.R. Kane | Features". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  27. ↑ Stannard, Joseph (December 2023). "AR Kane, The Social, London". The Wire . No. 478.
  28. ↑ "Craft of the Lost Art". frieze magazine (110). October 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  29. ↑ "Pitchfork: Album Reviews: A.R. Kane: 69 / i". Pitchfork . 29 October 2010. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.