Candy Cane / 12 Miles of Sky is an ultra-rare, self-titled 12" vinyl single by the 1980s new wave band Red Violet Red, originally released in 1985 on Game Hen Records. For devotees of underground synth-pop, coldwave, and minimal electronics, this artifact carries massive legendary status: it represents the fascinating, direct precursor to the cult-classic darkwave band Eleven Pond.
Before Eleven Pond released their iconic 1986 masterwork Bas Relief, art school student and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Gallea formed Red Violet Red in Rochester, New York. Recorded in the summer of 1985 at Music America Studios on 24-track analog tape, the core lineup consisted of Jeff Gallea (vocals, Korg synthesizers, Roland drum machine), Cedric Herrera (vocals), Lyle Wells (guitar, synthesizer), and Jerry Dellapietra (bass). The 12" single stands as an incredibly scarce treasure for collectors, strictly limited to 300 copies, featuring custom hand-painted sleeves that were individually hand-numbered and signed by Gallea himself. Because it vanished into immediate obscurity for decades, original physical copies are known to command prices upwards of $450 on collector markets.
Musically, the Candy Cane / 12 Miles of Sky 12" occupies a brilliant space where raw post-punk instrumentation directly collides with lush, atmospheric synth-pop architecture. While it lacks the slightly colder, industrialized edge that Gallea would later bring to the Eleven Pond material, Red Violet Red leans beautifully into a melodic "lush-wave" aesthetic. The songs are defined by driving analog synth hooks, rhythmic drum sequencing, and intricate, jangly guitar lines that create a vast wall of sound.
What makes the release so captivating to modern collectors is its dual vocal approach. The tracklist relies heavily on catchy, heavily doubled lead vocals from both Herrera and Gallea, infusing the moody coldwave rhythms with a distinct pop sensibility and emotional urgency. Long out of print on vinyl, the tracks finally received a wider physical preservation when the Spanish archival label Domestica Records compiled them onto the 2011 retrospective LP Relaxed In Upstate Rain.
