Cranes

British group Cranes are known for their haunting, otherworldly sound, distinguished by the curious, childlike vocals of singer Alison Shaw. Well regarded by fans of dream pop, gothic rock, and darkwave, they formed in the mid-'80s and initially had an abstract, quasi-industrial sound, featuring heavy drum machine beats and harsh, noisy guitars. Their full-length debut, 1991's Wings of Joy, was a more polished refinement of their ethereal style, and their most commercially successful efforts, 1993's Loved and 1994's Forever, contained their most accessible, pop-informed material. Following the relatively straightforward alternative rock of 1997's Population Four, Cranes returned from a brief hiatus with an updated lineup and a slightly more electronic sound for a trio of albums beginning with 2001's Future Songs. The band resumed performing in 2023 and released several reissues and archival collections, including the 2024 box set Collected Works, Vol. 1 (1989-1997).