St. Louis’ Alison Setili and Hannah Rainey share their intimate solo debuts today on a split LP from It Takes Time Records.
Setili and Rainey have been integral members of the St. Louis DIY scene for several years; Setili performing with Frankie Valet and Rainey with Shady Bug. During lockdown, the pair began working on solo material that offered a personal touch that wouldn’t fit with their band projects.
Setili’s Algae Dust side explores her versatility as a musician, performing alongside her Frankie Valet bandmate Gram Tolish who provided drums for the album’s brooding atmosphere. Tracks such as “Circular” and “Grasp” are dreamlike synth-driven meditations allowing listeners to soak in Setili’s wistful vocals.
Rainey also embarked on an introspective endeavor as Hennen, recording every instrument herself and expanding upon bare bone material she’d begun working on in the summer of 2019. On her debut, Rainey channels the uncertainty and heartaches of the past year as catharsis layered with indie twee charm.
Ears to Feed spoke with Setili and Rainey to discuss the origins of their projects, the fulfillment of working solo, influences and more. You can also stream an exclusive premiere of their album below.
When did each of your respective albums take shape and was this material created in lockdown?
Algae Dust: I started working on these songs around May of 2020. I would never have attempted a solo project if it weren’t for lockdown. Creating these songs was a huge learning process for me – I had no idea I was capable of doing this on my own until I just jumped right in and started experimenting.
Hennen: I started using GarageBand on my phone summer 2019 to create demos to bring to my band Shady Bug. But I ended up using it more and more as part of my songwriting process. “Zero Expectations” and “Lizard” were originally written for Shady before lockdown, the rest of the album was written as a way to process everything that was going on in my life during the pandemic. The music I was making had taken a different turn than I wanted for Shady Bug, so I decided to make a solo project and named it Hennen, after a very old nickname my friends called me in 2011 (laughs).
How did the process of releasing a full split album come about?
Algae Dust: We discovered that we had both been working on solo music, and then our friend Mickey of It Takes Time was actually the one to suggest we combine the two into a split.
Hennen: I never even thought about trying to release these songs as a physical copy, mostly because I didn’t even use any microphones or own any real equipment to record (laughs). So I was thrilled that It Takes Time wanted to do this! Also Al and Mickey are my good friends so it was fun to put this project together with them.
Do you find working on solo material more daunting or fulfilling than a band format?
Algae Dust: I thought it would be so daunting, but as I found my groove I did find it to be more fulfilling in some ways. I love working with my Frankie friends but it was also really nice to be able to freely experiment with parts and structures while working at my own pace. I also learned so much by just completely winging it in the early stages of production and mixing.
Hennen: Working solo was a challenge because writing for bass, drums and keys was new territory for me. But once I allowed myself to make mistakes and have fun, I really enjoyed producing songs by myself. It’s so fulfilling, in a different way than creating with other people. Having complete creative control is scary but also freeing and exciting.
Were there any artists that you’ve looked to as inspiration for your own albums?
Algae Dust: Probably Lomelda and Emily Yacina, although I wasn’t consciously looking at anyone in particular. At first I was going for more simplicity and space, like Florist or Told Slant, but I realized later simplicity is not really my strong suit (laughs).
Hennen: Over the summer of 2020, I went through a break-up and I was listening to a lot of Haim (Women in Music pt. iii), Cindy Lee, Charli XCX and This is Lorelei. I was really inspired by pop hooks and yearning melodies to express how I was feeling.
With concerts on the horizon this fall, do you plan on bringing this collaboration to a live setting?
Algae Dust: That would be so cool! I still can’t imagine having concerts again and I would definitely need to do some practicing but it would be a blast to play shows together some day.
Hennen: One of my good friends Rob of Googolplexia asked me to play in his garage over the summer so I might do that (laughs). I would love to perform these songs live and maybe someday get a Hennen band together. No plans to perform on a bill with Algae Dust but we definitely should!
What have been some hobbies, films, albums and routines that have helped you both get through the past year?
Algae Dust: Gardening, paint by number, hiking, board games, brief phases of knitting and sims, constant thrifting, lots of reality shows, childhood movies. Charmer by Tigers Jaw, There’s Nothing Wrong With Love by Built to Spill, Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse were some albums central to my big quarantine music phases.
Hennen: Going on long walks listening to the Moth podcast, cooking, hikes, buying tapes and records on Bandcamp Friday, seeing a therapist, Terrace House on Netflix, homemade kombucha or ginger tea, long distance book club, documentaries and seeing my family regularly (on zoom).
This interview has been edited for clarity.