One song was enough and CRAY were considered one of the most interesting Swiss bands. The radio hit "Another" was followed by the EP "Alive" and numerous memorable gigs. Afterwards, the quintet withdrew to work on their debut album, which was released under the name "Failed Attempts To Fly" and went straight into the top ten of the Swiss album charts. At the latest after the singles "All In Your Head" and "Get Away", it was clear that CRAY were far more than just a promising insider tip. After that, it was quiet around the band for a long time. With the release of the singles "Time" and "REMEMBER ME" they surprisingly came back from the rehearsal room in the midst of the pandemic. The latest single "CLICHÉ" continues the band's story and proves that CRAY have not forgotten how to make music.
SPHERICAL, CHARISMATIC, STRIKING
Not little time passed until the release of their debut album. The first album of the five musicians from the regions of Bern, Biel and Basel was supposed to show their whole spectrum, and so they didn't let themselves be rushed back then. They succeeded in making every song sound unique and yet never lose the common thread. Versatility is already given by the different musical preferences of the five men. This makes for one or two additional
additional discussion, but also guarantees a very unique sound, which has developed together with the band over the years. Every song is meant to surprise with musical finesse and so it is not surprising that the
band takes the time to let the tracks mature in peace and quiet. CRAY could not always get to work with this calmness. The success of "Another" took them by surprise. Even though all the members already had band experience, CRAY was only formed in this constellation shortly before the song's first airplay. Initially without a singer, which already explains the carefully composed songs characterised by spherical instrumental parts and loving arrangements. No sooner was the group with singer Florian Schürch complete and a demo of "Another" recorded than they were inundated with positive reactions. Couleur 3 and Virus (Grandiose Swiss band (...) Wonderful epic sound. (...) ...sounds like a big band from America.) made "Another" the song of the week and numerous other radio stations included it in their playlists - and some still play it today. The clip for "Another" was shown on SRF Musicnight, Joiz, MTV and Viva, which praised CRAY as "the Swiss answer to Coldplay". After the album was announced with the release of the single "All In Your Head", the band was featured on Radio SRF3's "Punkt CH" programme, where their tracks were described as "music for big stadiums". After the release of the album, which immediately made it into the top ten of the Swiss album charts, and the accompanying singles, further radio rotations followed. CRAY has also been able to thrill concertgoers live in renowned venues such as KUFA, Bierhübeli, Dachstock, Kofmehl and at the Gurtenfestival. At the Emergenza Festival they also played their way into the hearts of the music fans and won the coveted audience award in the final. And so the first album was christened with a fitting christening concert in the packed KUFA in Lyss. After many concerts all over Switzerland, the band withdrew again for songwriting, and finally came back in April 2020 with the unannounced release of "Time"! The song was an unmistakable sign that they had not forgotten how to make music. A few months later, the band followed up with "Remember Me" and made their presence felt once again. While Covid gave the Swiss concert scene a forced break, the band used the time for new inspiration and writing new music. «CLICHÉ» and «SHOWDOWN» are the latest results.
