Electrelane

Formed in 1998 in Brighton, England, by musicians Verity Susman and Emma Gaze, Electrelane developed a sound characterized by a fusion of experimental rock, krautrock, and post-punk, distinguished by the use of vintage-sounding keyboards, textured guitars, and hypnotic rhythms. After a few lineup changes in the early years, the band settled on Susman (keyboards, guitar, and vocals), Gaze (drums), Rachel Dalley (bass), and Mia Clarke (guitar).

After releasing their first singles in 2000, the band released their debut album, Rock It to the Moon, in April 2001, released on their own label, Let’s Rock!. Predominantly instrumental, the album established the group’s identity by exploring repetitions, sonic textures, and striking contrasts in intensity.

The second album, The Power Out, was released in February 2004 on the Too Pure label. Recorded and mixed by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio studio in Chicago and produced by the band itself, the album emphasized the vocals and gave the compositions more accessible structures, without sacrificing experimentation. Later that year, Rachel Dalley left the group and was replaced by Ros Murray.

Released in May 2005, Axes deepened the experimental and essentially instrumental character of Electrelane. Recorded once again in collaboration with Albini, the album sought to capture the organic dynamics of the band members playing together in the studio, bringing the recorded sound closer to the energy of their live performances.

In 2007, the quartet released No Shouts, No Calls, conceived in Berlin and recorded in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Highly praised by critics, the album balanced catchy melodies with dynamic instrumental passages, featuring standout tracks such as “To the East” and “In Berlin.” Despite the excellent reception, the band announced an indefinite hiatus in November of that same year.

In February 2011, the band resumed activities for a series of shows at European festivals, extending their reunion tour to Australia in 2012. In November 2021, the band members revealed they were working on new material, although a fifth studio album has not yet been officially announced. In 2024, the group released the EP BBC Radio Sessions on digital platforms, featuring four historic recordings made for the British broadcaster.

Meanwhile, Verity Susman founded the duo MEMORIALS alongside Matthew Simms (guitarist for Wire). After composing soundtracks for films, the duo released the albums Memorial Waterslides (2024) and All Clouds Bring Not Rain (2026), continuing the exploration of avant-garde timbres that has defined Susman’s career.