Ethan Rainer Releases New Single ‘Kind of Strange’ + Announces Debut Album
Arising from the ashes of musical paralysis and chronic demoitis, Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s Ethan Rainer unveils Music For Escape Rooms – his debut album, written and produced in the very escape room he once worked in, literally, he produced it in the office in his off time, (and was later fired from). Then finished it in the quiet comfort of his flat. The album will be released on December 18th, 2025.
The first single Kind of Strange from Music For Escape Rooms will be released on 7 November. A beautifully jaded song that embraces its laid back feel, with its atmosphere of synths and wavy guitars. The song highlights the struggles of feeling like a people pleaser, in uncomfortable situations.
Over the past three years, Rainer has been quietly shaping his own strain of indietronica – where intimate songwriting meets atmospheric production and a palette of textured synths, field recordings, and ambient samples. The result is Music For Escape Rooms: a sonic reflection on the entrapment of modern life – the mundane routines, heartbreaks, and insecurities – and a yearning to break free from them.
Previously known for his work with the psych band BADTAB, Rainer now steps into new creative territory, crafting a record that invites listeners to both escape and reflect. Music For Escape Rooms is, at its heart, music for finding light in confinement – a soundtrack to getting unstuck.
