Crake - Humans’ Worst Habits [12"/CD]

Artist: Crake
Title: Humans’ Worst Habits
Format: 12” black vinyl | Digifile CD | Digital
Cat#: Fika090
Release date: 17th June 2022
Bandcamp

“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint
"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork
"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting
"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Led by enigmatic songwriter Rowan Sandle, Crake is driven by her endless curiosity. Armed with her gently cracking vocal, and inspiration from writers like Shirley Jackson and Nan Shepherd, she sings of crinoids, slime mould and pussy willow. When they supported Buck Meek at Brudenell Social Club, Buck found himself so beguiled by Sandle and her band that he invited them to support Big Thief on their UK and EU tour in 2019. Crake duly obliged and have been building towards their debut full-length ever since. 

Much of the forthcoming album revolves around the death of Sandle’s friend Anna, who died in Syria after being hit by a Turkish air strike. Anna was working for a woman’s liberation group in the war-stricken country when the tragedy took place. ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ explores the grief that followed and the lessons learnt from dealing with such a significant loss. 

Sandle does, however, find space to explore more themes alongside this grief, such as cruelty and queer nature. On lead single ‘Winter’s Song’ she acknowledges the cruelty and coldness that exists within us all, and questions how we can continue to grow and love whilst remaining true to that. 

Speaking about the track, she said: “Winter’s Song is about the absolute mundane beauty of being fallible. It's a true story, I saw the moon rise but swore it was the sun setting. I think about this line a lot: “keep a little coldness in you, just wear it soft and gentle” Be soft, be kind, be honest. Being unremarkable has its own beauty.” 

Sandle’s love for queer nature is so fervent that it makes the experience of listening to Crake akin to that of stumbling on an entirely new world. Sandle believes that life isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, and thinks nature holds the key to revealing the true nature of human experience. The appearances of things like slime mould - single-celled organisms that form a single body when in search of food  - brittle starfish - a type of starfish whose awareness isn’t concentrated in one place - and other such oddities furnish ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ with a folklore all of its own. 

‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ will send you down multiple rabbit holes and you’ll emerge from each with a newfound appreciation for the complexities of the world. Perhaps even more important than this though is the humanity that lies at the very heart of this debut full-length. Whether it’s in the sensitivity in how she portrays the loss of her friend, the depiction of our most base instincts - namely cruelty, passion and love - or the sincere, pure quality of the songwriting itself, it’s this that makes ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ essential, and invaluable listening.

“A remarkable record, Human’s Worst Habits is the sound of a band who don’t sound quite like anyone else, an album both brittle and bold, beautiful and yes, deeply human.” For The Rabbits [review and interview]

“Imagine that Slowdive had melted down their reverb pedals as part of an occult ritual in order to reanimate Karen Dalton as the front woman. Lo and behold, you get an amazingly accurate picture of the Leeds quartet's enigmatic sound” Neølyd

Interview - Yorkshire Evening Post

“Whether it’s the sensitivity in which she sings about grief, the intricacy of human nature, queer ecology and our most base instincts – namely cruelty, passion and love – or the sincere, pure quality of the songwriting itself, this mesmerising debut is essential and invaluable listening” English Folk Expo

“Enigmatic and brooding, Crake are at their most atmospheric in Sargasso Sea and Sisters, with its slowly shuffling beat and weary vocal, while Bobbie lifts the mood with its chiming electric guitar riff. Yorkshire Post

“Delicately beautiful and deeply odd, it’s an album that deserves much more attention than it’s received.” Undrcurrents

“a magnificent example of dreamy, shimmering indie, and there are some soft, easy melodies to be found drifting through this understated set of songs… and the melancholy washes over and hangs, mist-like before it slowly lifts.” Whisperin & Hollerin

“Human’s Worst Habits, is stunning. With Sandle’s unique yet embracing voice, her fabulous songwriting, and a spellbinding indie-folk approach, the Leeds-based quartet delivered a record as poignant and beautiful as anything that Big Thief has done. One day soon, they will be celebrated and adored like the Brooklyn titans.” The Revue

“It’s a subtle album, a grower, so takes a few listens before the pleasures of its meditative indie-folk really start to sink in. You’ll be really glad you gave it your attention. Packed full of great songs, but the hushed, almost slowcore ’Lamb’s Tail’ is a good a place to start as any.” Colour The Cortex

“Crake are a band that possess that rare quality - a singer in the shape of Rowan Sandle who has the ability to write gorgeous, fragile melodies that will break your heart in two. Couple this with the band’s restrained playing and lead guitar lines worthy of Neil Young’s most tender electric moments and you have the beautiful ‘Human’s Worst Habits’. They supported Big Thief in 2019, and it would be remiss of me not to point out that if you love Big Thief, you will also love Crake.” Norman Records

“This is one of the most remarkable releases of the year” Guteshoerenistwichtig

Coast Is Clear [German]

Music Won’t Save You [Italian]

Crake - Rabbit [Digital]

Artist: Crake
Title: Rabbit
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika090SG4
Release date: 28th April 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

““The best band in Leeds” James Smith of Yard Act"
“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint
"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork
"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting
"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Leeds quartet Crake have shared a compelling new single, ‘Rabbit’. It’s the latest track to come from their upcoming debut album, ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’, which arrives via Fika Recordings on May 27th.

The band’s curious combination of gentle alt-folk and folkloric lyrics have received increasing attention of late. James Smith of Yard Act declared them “the best band in Leeds” after he played out their most recent single ‘Winter’s Song’ on Steve Lamacq’s BBC Radio 6 Music show. They’ve also been receiving plenty of acclaim from tastemaker sites like GoldFlakePaint, Dork, For The Rabbits, Beats Per Minute, Secret Meeting and more.

Today, they follow up ‘Bobbie’ with new single ‘Rabbit. The band’s chief songwriter, Rowan Sandle, expands on the track:

"There are some repeating themes in Rabbit such as coming to terms with cruelty and acting unkindly. But the end is an attempt to understand where this comes - the freezing with anxiety, the defense of it all. It reminds me of a story my mum told me as a child that has stuck with me. We used to go on holiday to these ready made camping sites in the north of Spain. There was a fire and a woman’s husband died. As my mum comforted her, she replied with a simple fret over losing her husband's personal tobacco allowance and how she now had too much duty free tobacco to bring back home on her own. I was really young, probably too young to be told the story, but I never felt anger or surprise over the women's displaced anxiety. I got it completely.

I guess I do have a fundamental belief that most humans are doing their best within the circumstances they find themselves in. It's not that we are not trying hard enough, but that doesn't mean we have to accept that this best couldn't be better wither. Often I think it's about trying differently."

Sandle’s curious worldview is at the heart of much of their forthcoming record. She believes that life isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, and that queer nature may hold the key to revealing the true nature of human experience. That’s why things like slime mould - single-celled organisms that form a single body when in search of food - and brittle starfish - a type of starfish whose awareness isn’t concentrated in one place - emerge over and over on ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ and furnish it with a folklore all of its own.

Alongside the more obscure nature references, there’s also a very human and tragic undercurrent that runs through ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’. Sandle’s friend Anna was working for a women's liberation group in Syria when she was hit by a Turkish airstrike and lost her life. The album directly explores the grief that followed and the lessons Sandle learnt in dealing with such a significant loss.

Both mythical and pragmatic, ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ is a sumptuous introduction to a world that has plenty to offer to all who pass through.

“Crake will be very high on our list of Favorite Discoveries of this year. Heck, they’re probably one of our favorite bands at the moment after making us go silent with “Winter’s Song” and “Bobbie”. If they lived in Brooklyn, Austin, or LA, they likely would be celebrated and adored in the same manner as Big Thief. Their day will come, where a song like “Rabbit” will become an indie classic.” The Revue

“the track is a classic slice of Crake, Rowan’s prominent vocal meandering through a forest of steady drums, propulsive chords and wiry country-licked guitars, as the lyrics prod and poke at social conventions and the thrill of going against them, “my neighbour’s vines are growing all the time I said that I would water them last weekend, I stayed inside, hoped that they would die I guess it’s me taking the easy way out”. As intriguingly unique as ever, with their own vision of the world Crake are a band to fall in love with, bad habits and all.” For The Rabbits

Crake - Bobbie [Digital]

Artist: Crake
Title: Bobbie
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika090SG3
Release date: 10th March 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint
"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork
"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting
"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Leeds quartet Crake have shared a compelling new single, ‘Bobbie’. It’s the latest track to come from their upcoming debut album, ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’, which arrives via Fika Recordings on May 27th.

The band’s curious combination of gentle alt-folk and folkloric lyrics have received increasing attention of late. James Smith of Yard Act declared them “the best band in Leeds” after he played out their most recent single ‘Winter’s Song’ on Steve Lamacq’s BBC Radio 6 Music show. They’ve also been receiving plenty of acclaim from tastemaker sites like GoldFlakePaint, Dork, For The Rabbits, Beats Per Minute, Secret Meeting and more.

Today, they follow up ‘Winter’s Song’ with new single ‘Bobbie’. The band’s chief songwriter, Rowan Sandle, gets much of her lyrical inspiration from nature writing and the latest single came to her after she read Frank Fraser Darling’s ‘Island Years, Island Farm’ - a book about how he made temporary homes on remote Hebridean Islands whilst researching seabirds and seals. However, rather than focusing on the book’s protagonist, the song provides a largely fictional account of the story of his wife Bobbie Fraser Darling who, despite her constant presence, is reduced to a background figure in the book.

Speaking about the song, Sandle said: “She’s there with him the whole time, helping with his work alongside all the care work to bring up their child in these remote and inhospitable places. Yet we are given very little information about her, so Bobbie is me wanting to know what it was like from her perspective. Some events are factual, directly taken from the book, for example her love of chickweed and the time they had to call a vet as no doctor was near. But other things are more speculative, imagined and questioned. The answers I’ll never know, and maybe she wanted it that way”

Sandle’s curious worldview is at the heart of much of their forthcoming record. She believes that life isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, and that queer nature may hold the key to revealing the true nature of human experience. That’s why things like slime mould - single-celled organisms that form a single body when in search of food - and brittle starfish - a type of starfish whose awareness isn’t concentrated in one place - emerge over and over on ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ and furnish it with a folklore all of its own.

Alongside the more obscure nature references, there’s also a very human and tragic undercurrent that runs through ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’. Sandle’s friend Anna was working for a women's liberation group in Syria when she was hit by a Turkish airstrike and lost her life. The album directly explores the grief that followed and the lessons Sandle learnt in dealing with such a significant loss.

Both mythical and pragmatic, ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ is a sumptuous introduction to a world that has plenty to offer to all who pass through.

Press for Bobbie:

“A band that will rate very high on our list of Favorite Discoveries of this year will be Crake. Their previous single, “Winter’s Song”, was so good it had us comparing the English band to Big Thief. That single track set the standard for indie-folk and Gothic-folk music this year and probably years to come. What separates them and Big Thief from the pack is the songwriting of their front-people. For Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker is considered one of the great singer-songwriters of the century. Such accolades will soon be showered upon Rowan Sandle, whose storytelling stands at the fore on “Bobbie”.
Whereas “Winter’s Song” was soul-crushing in its approach, “Bobbie” is a vibrant and chest-swelling folk-rocker. There are moments where the song touches the edges of breathtaking, but then the band cleverly pull it back and shift the atmosphere to one of quiet desperation. The orchestration is brilliant, providing the perfect canvas for Sandle’s terrific story of a woman who hid in the shadows – or more like was put in the shadows.” The Revue

“Another Leeds act making a big noise, Crake's combination of alt.folk and indie is winning fans all over - especially with this fictional account about a real-life Hebridean seabird and seal researcher. It's a suitably curious track that showcases their unique perspective on life, and song-writing.” PRS For Music

“The track is set to a suitably bruising soundtrack, the drums crashing like waves against a Hebridean cliff-face, as the soaring guitars meander like gulls in the wind, and Rowan’s voice sings out as if she’s standing amidst all the chaos of nature quietly screaming into the void. As fascinating, unique and exciting as ever, there simply isn’t another band like Crake, and they’re all the better for that fact.” For The Rabbits

“Crake support this love letter with a knotty dream-folk sound, which bounds along with more energy and heat than most of their songs, perhaps reflecting Sandle’s slight annoyance that “Bobbie” doesn’t get enough credit. Well, with “Bobbie”, Crake have done what they can to redress the history books, and it’s a marvellous little snapshot of not just one woman, but the kinds of women that have been behind great men throughout history.” Beats Per Minute

“it’s beautifully dizzying. This song really hits home when it hits the 48 second mark, turning into this beautiful stretch of understated melody, riding back into the next verse ever so casually. I dare you to listen through this whole song and not be charmed” Austin Town Hall

“a gentle folk opening with sublime yet jangly guitar hooks” Spectral Nights

Crake - Winter's Song [Digital]

Artist: Crake
Title: Winter’s Song
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika090SG2
Release date: 11th January 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint

"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork

"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting

"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Leeds quartet Crake have today announced their debut album, ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’. It arrives via Fika Recordings on April 8th. The band have also shared the album’s lead single, ‘Winter’s Song’.

Led by enigmatic songwriter Rowan Sandle, Crake is driven by her endless curiosity. Armed with her gently cracking vocal, and inspiration from writers like Shirley Jackson and Nan Shepherd, she sings of crinoids, slime mould and pussy willow. When they supported Buck Meek at Brudenell Social Club, Buck found himself so beguiled by Sandle and her band that he invited them to support Big Thief on their UK and EU tour in 2019. Crake duly obliged and have been building towards their debut full-length ever since.

Much of the forthcoming album revolves around the death of Sandle’s friend Anna, who died in Syria after being hit by a Turkish air strike. Anna was working for a woman’s liberation group in the war-stricken country when the tragedy took place. ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ explores the grief that followed and the lessons learnt from dealing with such a significant loss.

Sandle does, however, find space to explore more themes alongside this grief, such as cruelty and queer nature. On lead single ‘Winter’s Song’ she acknowledges the cruelty and coldness that exists within us all, and questions how we can continue to grow and love whilst remaining true to that.

Speaking about the track, she said: “Winter’s Song is about the absolute mundane beauty of being fallible. It's a true story, I saw the moon rise but swore it was the sun setting. I think about this line a lot: “keep a little coldness in you, just wear it soft and gentle” Be soft, be kind, be honest. Being unremarkable has its own beauty.”

Sandle’s love for queer nature is so fervent that it makes the experience of listening to Crake akin to that of stumbling on an entirely new world. Sandle believes that life isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, and thinks nature holds the key to revealing the true nature of human experience. The appearances of things like slime mould - single-celled organisms that form a single body when in search of food - brittle starfish - a type of starfish whose awareness isn’t concentrated in one place - and other such oddities furnish ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ with a folklore all of its own.

‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ will send you down multiple rabbit holes and you’ll emerge from each with a newfound appreciation for the complexities of the world. Perhaps even more important than this though is the humanity that lies at the very heart of this debut full-length. Whether it’s in the sensitivity in how she portrays the loss of her friend, the depiction of our most base instincts - namely cruelty, passion and love - or the sincere, pure quality of the songwriting itself, it’s this that makes ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ essential, and invaluable listening.

Press for Winter’s Song:

“There’s an alchemy to the music Crake make, spinning humble parts into a magical whole, music that glistens with humanity and bristles with the deeper sigh of the natural world, Human’s Worst Habits is shaping up to be a triumph.” For The Rabbits

“Darkness and light collide on this stunning affair, which commences with a fleeting melody. It slowly builds into a beautiful, fantasy moment, which then gives way to the growl of a quietly rumbling guitar that occasionally shrieks. The orchestration is superb, drawing the listener in with each note. Front-person Rowan Sandle’s voice, meanwhile, possesses a mysterious allure, as it cracks occasionally to reveal the vulnerability in her soul. She sings about how our hearts are often cold, seeking to satisfy our own insatiable thirst for power and attention. There are, however, occasions where a gentler side emerges, which is what she encourages to hold on to.” The Revue

“A song that trudges like walking through piles of sodden leaves and rings with the quiet beauty of being amidst an unknown wilderness, “Winter’s Song” is Crake at their absolute finest, tapping into a lesser heralded part of our natures.” Beats Per Minute

“It’s a song suffused with an understated sense of iridescent wistful beauty and poetic lyrics that connect on a deep level. You certainly get a sense of why Big Thief’s Buck Meek was so entranced by the band that he invited them to support Big Thief on their UK and EU tour in 2019.” The VPME

“A collision of the organic and metaphysical which sees lead Rowan Sandle conjure a world both alien and very much our own. Such a paradox is just one of the complexities at work on the record, and is nicely captured by latest single, ‘Winter’s Song’. “That time I saw the moon rise / And I swore it was a sun set,” Sandle sings. An image remarkable or ominous, or perhaps both simultaneously.” Various Small Flames

Crake - Lamb's Tail [Digital]

Artist: Crake
Title: Lamb’s Tail
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika090SG1
Release date: 2nd November 2021
Bandcamp | Spotify

“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint
"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork
"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting
"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Contemplative Leeds quartet Crake have today shared a new single, ‘Lamb’s Tail’.

A set supporting Buck Meek in their native Brudenell Social Club led to the four-piece supporting Big Thief across the UK and the EU in 2019 at Meek’s behest. Last August, this culminated in a one off 7” with Big Thief’s former label, Saddle Creek. Heralding a new relationship with Fika Recordings, ‘Lamb’s Tail’ is the first material since from the band made up of Rowan Sandle, Russel Searle, Rob Slater and Sarah Statham.

Led by the enigmatic Sandle, Crake is driven by her endless curiosity. Armed with her distinctive, hoarse vocals and inspiration from travel writers like Shirley Jackson and Nan Shepherd, she sings of crinoids, slime mould and Pussy Willow, sending you down newly unearthed rabbit holes. Inspired by childhood superstitions, ‘Lamb’s Tail’ makes for a perfect showcase of how Crake knit the patchwork for these observations to flourish, blending drummer/producer Slater’s rolling percussion with the band’s unifying desire to create ear-catching melodies that are ‘sincere, pure and from the heart’.

Speaking of the track, Sandle said: “When I was a kid and I was worried or anxious, I would leave it to the fates to tell me the outcome of whatever issue I was currently stuck on. I would ask my question to the ether and make up some rule to reveal to me my answer. For example, if whilst walking I land at a lamppost with my left foot, the answer is no, but if I land with my right, then yes.

“Lamb’s Tail deals with a major question pertinent to me now – in my early 30s, without children but knowing I want them, I worry when. And at the opposite end of life’s flight, I’ve recently got to know grief. And it’s a lot. So sometimes we revert to silly rituals that comforted us as a child, noticing the pushing onwards of Spring, or laughing at the fact that Rob once met a cat he could have sworn he taught drums to”.

Accompanied with a video directed by Ash Scott, ‘Lamb’s Tail’ inspires you to claw at the soil and unearth a meaning all of your own.

Press for Lamb’s Tail:

“The Leeds four-piece never fail to produce immortally thought-provoking and chilling songs, and Lamb’s Tail is just the latest testament to this increasingly assured truth. Consider it a maxim: when Crake releases music, listeners will be entranced by it.” Secret Meeting

“It’s a revelation delivered in little more than a silvery whisper, but in Crake’s careworn sound, it washes over like a perfectly-timed warm blanket to block out the cold world and insulate the love.” Beats Per Minute

“It’s got a transatlantic feel that’s part Fairport, part Edith Frost and others; and a natural, instinctive flow that indicates that Rowan and band live and breathe this. It’s no affectation. There’s a grace and a tranquillity at play; they’re at ease in this land.” Backseat Mafia

“What a beautifully intimate vocal performance. Always flickering, on the cusp of breaking almost, Rowan Sandle gives us a glimpse inside his soul. With understated and considered backing from Russel Searle, Rob Slater and Sarah Statham, this is a subtle but stunning tune.” The Rodeo

“As you get older it’s often tempting to wonder if you’ve already heard everything you’re going to love, to question whether there’s anything new or exciting out there left to discover. Then along comes a band like Crake and you realise just how naïve that thought truly is, you have to believe the best is always yet to come, you’ll only ever be proven wrong if you don’t.” For The Rabbits

“Crake turn a basic folk melody into a moving examination of an emotional journey to healing” Nothing But Hope and Passion

“a charcoal-hued carol” The Autumn Roses