A.R. Kane

I'm sure many of you, who read this blog often or are just passing by it, have heard of A.R. Kane (ARK). If not, you really should, and that's why I'm writing about them right now. ARK consists of the duo Alex Ayuli and Rudy Tambala (which explains the A.R. in the project name) who started making music together at 1986, initially releasing a couple of 12" When You're Sad (by One Little Indian) and Lollita (by our beloved 4AD). It didn't take too long for them to sign up with Rough Trade and writing more and more material that would be published in a string of singles and two seminal full-lengths: 1988's 69 and the 1989's 'i', and then comes a story we all know: they didn't achieve mainstream attention or acclamation but their works received positive reviews and comments by the press. But tell me how they wouldn't, if these albums are two incandescent gems that whose lyrics were pure poetry (usually making use of ocean/water, oneiric and sexual imagery) and had great impact not only in the Shoegaze-Dream Pop axes but in the Trip Hop, Dub, Acid House as well? They even had an EP containing remixes from nobody else than the almighty Robin Guthrie (besides the band themselves). However, the luck have never smiled to them, as Rough Trade bankrupted in 1991 and they were labeless, staying on a hiatus during the early '90, just when many bands they inspired (Slowdive, Seefeel, The Veldt, to name just a few), besides the Shoegaze scene itself with whom they could be easily linked, were in their pinnacle. After this, they released their final work, New Clear Child, in 1994, but this one wasn't well received by press and public, as the band seems to have run out of creative ideas and people lost their interest in Shoegaze. After the ARK adventures, Mr. Tambala went to work on Ambient and Dub music whereas Mr. Ayuli moved to USA, where he still lives, working as a museum curator and making some music under the name Alex!.


ARK is the classic case of a seminal group that contributed a lot to many artists but never gained the deserved recognizement, being (re)discovered only many and many years after that, besides receiving a "cult" aura and status. That's why you should check the content of the links right below. I'm sure you will all agree with the quote from music critical Jason Ankeny, who once said "arguably the most criminally under-recognized band of their era" refering to ARK.

Single Collections (2012):

get it!

New Clear Child (1994):

 

get it!

 

'i' (1989):

 

  

get it!

69 (1988):

 

get it!