Rayning's self-titled EP kicks off with a blast of over distorted drum machines that fade into a beautiful bliss of guitar noise and airy but still audible vocals. The formula has been seen many times before but you can tell that Gerald Mckay, the solo artist who comprises Rayning, has done his studying. The melodies here are illustrious and make for some wonderful pop songs. Ranging from more dance-oriented pop gems ("We Are") to more reflective instrumental pieces ("Recollection""Tumble"). You can hear the remnants of over thirty years of dreamers combined into the mixing bowl of pop that is represented on this tape.
Gerald has two other releases; Sink, which was self-released on CD and Refraction which has gotten a physical release via Rok Lok Records.
"‘Rayning’ features a mix of dream pop and shoegaze, along with some brutal noise rockin’ moments!" - Sounds Better With Reverb
"The six tracks are dense works with a liberal expanse of noise, heavy reverb and towering instrumental riffs. The vocals are buried a bit too much in the mix, but the EP is none the less a masterful work, that offers an immersive listening experience." - Floorshime Zipper Boots
"It's no coincidence that cover art that adorns Rayning's cassette debut closely resembles that of the Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas. The Michigan-based solo project, fronted by Gerald Mckay, has nearly matched the alchemical blend of ephemeral effects that compose the Twins' mythical dream-pop guitar tone. Like any good shoegazer, McKay finds a balance between noise and delicate beauty. His self-titled album opens with "We Are", which pits a gritty, lo-fi drum loop against an endless wave of guitar noise. Surprisingly, this abrasive combination, the lumbering percussion buried beneath layers of gnarled static, does not only sound pretty; it feels wispy and light. It encloses the listener's in its own atmosphere of noise, distortion and reverb, the heavy air swirling and undulating, never ceasing in its movement. McKay's distant vocals are delivered in a laid-back, almost absently, in a way that gives his music a Slowdive-ian timbre. "Necklace" and "If Only" two welcome outliers that appear on the release, more forceful, yet somehow more twee in nature than the songs they compliment. Rayning is an impressive debut that serves as a reminder that great shoegaze music is still being made in the 21st century." - Half-Gifts
Pretty, Lush-inspired dream pop has a gentle touch, with whispered spoken-sung French vocals drifting lightly over shimmering guitars. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 24, 2019