It’s hard to tell whether or not I’m judging Self-Non-Self poorly because it’s different from the Cranes sound I love, or because I don’t think they’re good at this style. Let’s go with a little of both.

The EP is primarily ’80s gothic rock, so the keyword is “dreary,” a monotony so powerful that I want to bash my head into a wall just for the thrill. Since the compositions are notably more minimal than later Cranes works, Alison Shaw’s distinctive vocals don’t lend her the “lost child” persona because there’s nothing to get lost in. The cult-horror vibe of Cranes has been one of their coolest traits, but this EP’s sound lacks the contrast necessary to establish that vibe. They’re clearly just going for “creepy” here, so I find their sound less intriguing.

I think someone who doesn’t really care about Cranes’ later work and sees the genre combination as interesting should check this EP out, though. It’s not much like I’ve heard from the era, if nothing else. “Focus Breathe” is the sole great success of this abandoned “prototype’s” airy, industrial sound.