After a lengthy hiatus from music, Lesley Rankine is returning with new material under her former band’s moniker, Ruby.
Ruby began as a twosome in 1994, when Rankine relocated from London to Seattle and joined producer Mark Walk to expand on their exploration of electronic, trip-hop and industrial sounds. From 1995 to 2001 the duo released two studio albums together, Salt Peter and Short-Staffed At The Gene Pool, as well as three remix albums. Walk and Rankine stopped working together following the release of Short-Staffed, however, and much of the new millenium saw Rankine completely stepping away from music.
She has now returned to the scene, reclaiming the name Ruby as she puts the finishing touches on an album set to be released later this year. The first single from this new LP, “Waiting For Light,” shows Rankine summoning the introspective side she often conveyed in the band’s early years. Rankine has said in recent interviews, though, that this will not be the tone to all of the album’s new tracks.
She elaborates:
Nothing is representative of the album. There are probably four different types of songs; it’s a really eclectic album. There are a couple of songs that are kind of like ‘Waiting for the Light’ – quite dark and simple. And then you’ve got the kind of big, loud stuff. And a couple of very electronic, almost dance-type tracks. And there there are some much more subdued, acoustic type of songs. That’s the way I like it, I like doing lots of different stuff.
Talks of a tour are currently on hold as Rankine contemplates putting together a band that will help her convey her electronic sounds to crowds. In the meantime, here’s a taste of the brand-new Ruby video, “Waiting For Light”:
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