Rayon returns with a sound that blends tension, urgency, and carefully imperfect details, channeling intense emotions through a physical, propulsive energy. Their latest release, the single “Running”, explores the anxiety of watching loved ones caught in cycles of addiction, transforming a heavy emotional subject into hypnotic, repetitive grooves.

By Sandra Pinto

In this interview, Eric  Sabatino discusses the creative process behind the track — from the central role of analog tape echo and vintage equipment to the choice of a lo-fi aesthetic for the videos — and reflects on how Portland, the band members’ parallel projects, and collaborations with producers like Larry Crane have shaped Rayon’s musical identity. Balancing tension and chaos, past and present, emotion and sound, the conversation reveals the band’s unique approach to crafting music that feels immediate and alive.

“Running” explores the anxiety of watching loved ones caught in cycles of addiction. How did you translate such a heavy emotional subject into something so physical and propulsive?
A lot of what I do is accidental. I try to write without thinking too much with my conscious mind.

Did the emotional instability at the core of the song naturally guide the sonic choices you made? There’s a strong sense of helplessness in the song — observing without being able to intervene. Did that feeling influence the repetitive, almost obsessive structure of the track?
There was really no intention to write “heavy, helpless, or emotionally unstable” lyrics. The words just came out while I was working out the phrasing and melody, and I liked the way they sounded and worked with the rest of the song.  When the words come out, they’re coming from somewhere in the back of my mind. As we get older, in the music world, addiction is a real thing. We’re up late at music venues, drinking. We’re up late at after parties. Some of us are drinking and taking drugs. Some of my best friends aren’t here anymore, and some managed to change their lifestyle. I’m not trying to make a statement, but it’s what I was thinking about when it was time to put words to music. I think the vocals feel good, propulsive, like a good night-driving song.

You have mentioned that the bass and drum groove lived in your head for months before taking shape. What finally unlocked the song?
This song was built up from a bass and drum part I was kicking around in my head. I work a lot, running a motorcycle shop. Unfortunately, finding time to sit down and write my songs comes in small blocks.  Once I sat down to record and demo the ideas, this one came together pretty easily.

The barely-functioning Dynacord tape echo became central to the sound. At what point did you realise the “fault” was actually the concept?
The guitar part would not have happened if I didn’t have that tape echo, which has a bit of a pitch wobble thing happening right now.

Does writing while plugged into an unpredictable machine change the way you compose? Do you find yourself reacting to mistakes rather than controlling them? “Running” constantly balances control and chaos. Is that tension reflective of Rayon’s usual recording process?
Sometimes machines can help write a part. I like tape echo, tube amps, and my Crumar string synth. They’re old, and they have a consistent sound that helps glue a record together.

“Shopping” is playful and tongue-in-cheek, while “Running” is tense and claustrophobic. Was that contrast intentional from the outset?
Not really. I wanted to write a jerky song after writing more of a groove-based song.

Consumption, escape, and repetition can all be read as forms of addiction. Do you see a thematic link between the two songs? Why did the 7” single format feel like the right home for these tracks?
We chose to release these songs together as a 7′ single, because they shared thematic, lyrical, and melodic elements. It’s been a while since we released something. Meanwhile we’ve been busy writing and playing shows. It was time to get some of our new material out into the world,
before people forgot we existed. Attention spans are short. We release music on Little Cloud Records, which is a vinyl label.

The “Running” video was shot entirely on an old Handycam. What does lo-fi imagery allow you to communicate that high-definition polish doesn’t?
Preserving the sounds of pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding heightens the song’s anxiety. The Citroën wagon appears almost as a recurring character. The citroen wagon appeared in the Shopping video. When it was time to do a video for running, we wanted it to be similarly themed, like the record and the two songs. Taking the car out and filming ourselves getting into capers made sense. It was a very fun day. Using the handicam was a cost-effective way to keep the lo-fi theme going from the first video.

Rayon brings together members from several well-known Portland bands. How do those parallel projects shape Rayon’s identity? Does Portland still feel like fertile ground for bands embracing analogue processes and imperfect sounds?
Eric and Derek play with Sun Atoms. Jason, Mars and Pete from that band have become good friends. I recently helped track and engineer a sun atoms song at my home studio. June used to play guitar with Rayon. We’ve jokingly referred to each other as “band-in-law” Portland is a really unique place to be creative. It feels lost-in-time. The long-term musicians in  this city live for music, and age doesn’t seem to exist. We’re all together all the time, at each other’s shows, at each other’s music spaces, at each other’s summertime back-yard parties.

Working with Larry Crane and Timothy Stollenwerk marked a shift in your production approach. What did you take away from that experience?
With Larry Crane mixing the record at Jackpot, I wanted to hear what a non band-member’s input would sound like. I’ve known Larry from being around shows and events for years, and I really trust his ear and knowledge. I ended up mixing it with him. It was a great experience and I learned a lot.

“Running” feels like it’s constantly on the verge of breaking apart. Do the upcoming releases continue to explore that tension, or move in a different direction?
I don’t know what the next release will sound like. We have a new song where Anna’s singing. It’s probably the heaviest thing we’ve ever done. Nothing like blue nights. I’d like to lean more on R&B and Funk, but whatever comes out is what comes out. I kind-of write with my eyes closed.