The Rainkings have finally released their debut album, almost 17 years after the band split up. 'Another Time 1989 - 1994' is a collection of the bands recorded material within this period.
The Rainkings were formed in 1989 by Stephen Holt and David Swift following their departures from Inspiral Carpets. They soon recruited John Rowland on drums, ex Bodines, and Carl Wolstenholme on bass, ex Turning Blue.
The band released two EP's on Manchester's Playtime Records. ‘Sictransitgloriaswanson’ was released in 1989 and featured the songs; Sunlight Fades, Count Me In, Break the Strain and Just An Idea.
‘Get Ready’ was released in 1990 and featured the songs; Get Ready, Move Along the Chain and Too Many Words. The latter is due to feature in the soon to be released Spike Island film. The EP was also produced by Ian Broudie under the guise Kingbird Productions.
They also released the song 'Take' for the Home compilation album in 1990 via Sheer Joy Records. This was recorded at Stockport's legendary Strawberry Studios.
Carl Wolstenholme was replaced on bass by Nick Farr not long after this and the band went on to record the 'Bolton demo' in 1992 which featured the songs; To the End, Gone and This is the Time.
The final line up of The Rainkings saw Manny Lee, ex Waltones, replace Nick Farr on bass and also saw the addition of lead guitarist Dave Pearce. Their only recording was the Suite 16 demo in 1994 and featured the songs; Step by Step and Way Down. Way Down appears on the recently released Simon Worrall tribute album 'Distant Drums'.
The album has been remixed and mastered by Seadna McPhail who has worked with bands including I Am Kloot, Thea Gilmore and Inspiral Carpets.
Stephen Holt has since re joined Inspiral Carpets in 2011 and they have gone on to record and release new material as well as undertake headline tours, support Happy Mondays and appear at several festivals.


Manc junglist, former Daylite Robbery/106FM DJ. 100% vinyl, no ableton mixing here.

Tracy Godding is a songwriter, composer, musician & producer living in Brighton & Hove, UK. She has written & performed as Sister Bardot, Bandit queen, Comrade, Dark Horse & Mecto. The debut Sister Bardot album is out now on Bandcamp. Follow me below.

Kenneka Cook has always loved outer space. 

Growing up in Richmond, VA, she was obsessed with the moon, staring out her window at the night sky in awe of its mystery. The title track on Cook’s debut record Moonchild, set for a February 23rd release on American Paradox, is both a product of her intense connection with the cosmos, as well as a tribute to the embracing of celestial feminine energy. Musically, Cook bridges the gap between beat-driven sonics and melodic jazz in a brazenly colorful and tonally rich debut album.

Cook’s early training took place in her church choir and school chorus. Her tastes eventually shifted towards heavyweights like Billie Holiday, Erykah Badu, and The Cardigans, informing her confidently playful, harmony-heavy, atmospheric style. Initially she was making acapella songs with a microphone and laptop during the end of her college career out of necessity, describing her voice as “the only instrument I truly had access to” at the time. 

She discovered the process of live looping through Reggie Watts, who sometimes uses looping techniques in the songs found in his comedy acts. She covered the jazz standard “Night and Day” using the technique and it turned out better than she ever could have hoped. From there, she began to fully explore creating music and on the new album, she welcomes a variety of live players into the fold to flush out and widen the unique sound she created on her own.

Moonchild is a glimpse through Cook’s lens, exhibiting heartfelt lyrics and melodic themes on spirituality, technology, and social interaction. The album opens with serious meditations on the state of human connection (“My Universe”, “Don’t Ask Me”) and finds its way to a fun-as-hell-take on the now-classic “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance” by Vampire Weekend. “Please” transforms a conversation between Cook and her mother into a soft hymn, and “Brings Me Back (111)” depicts the mutual beckoning of soulmates. 

There’s a DIY backbone here too, as the album was recorded entirely in producer Scott Lane's living room, transformed into a makeshift studio that was regularly set up and torn down. It was recorded this past summer over 3 months time, and features players Devonne Harris (piano/Butcher Brown), Kelli Strawbridge (drums/Kings), Caleb Knight (drums/Sammi Lanzetta), Chris Speasmaker (piano/The Congress), Andrew Sisk (drums/Angelica Garcia), Marcus Tenney (trumpet/Foxygen), Russell Lacy (guitar/Mikrowaves), Sid Kingsley (saxophone/Sid Kingsley), Jared Pool (mandolin/Larry Keel), and Scott Lane (production/engineering).

Playtime Records is an independent recording company founded in Manchester, 1988.  We are currently making most of our catalogue available during 2013  along with unreleased material and a number of compilations.

Playtime was fortunate to be a part of a thriving Manchester music scene in the late 80's and early 90's, releasing records by bands including New Fast Automatic Daffodils, Inspiral Carpets, the Rainkings and Molly Half Head. In 1994, the label relocated to London where for another three years it continued to develop artists from Manchester and beyond. These included Bandit Queen, tc hug and Elliot Green.

We have no immediate plans for signing any new artists but you never know....... we still love hearing new music....so get in touch.

Kin are comprised of partners Kassia Gawronski (vocals) and Tom Metcalf (all things electronic) alongside brother Luke Metcalf (guitar). 

In the decades prior to the formation of Kin Tom and Luke played in a number of alt rock groups together including the bands Mond Eye, The Bearded Lady and Shouting Monks. Tom also played for alt electro rock group Crooked Billet and Breakbeat group Hedge Monkey. Between mid 2014 and late 2017 Kassia, Tom and Luke played in the live hip hop outfit Small Town Echoes. When this group reached its natural end point the trio began working to fuse their love of electronic dance music with their alternative rock and hip hop backgrounds and so began Kin.

Their self-titled first album was written and recorded over an eighteen month period through 2018 and early 2019 in their studio located in Bristol, UK and was mixed and produced by Tom. 

Other projects KIN members have been a part of can be found in the Links section.

Playtime Records is following