After releasing their first EP Fuse, Cranes expanded to a four-piece band and recorded their debut full-length album Self-Non-Self in 1989. Their sound has been described as gothic minimalism and dreampop, and also became part of the shoegazing movement in the early Nineties.

This 1989 album showed their progression with the increased textures in sound and drum slams. The album contains a darker sound and is a mixture of industrial and post-punk music. Originally only six tracks, the bands label Dedicated Records added a further two tracks upon its re-release in 1992: Reach (Live) and Nothing In The Middle, Nothing At The End. In that same year, Cranes went on a world tour with The Cure, which increased their popularity.

Self-Non-Self is available as a 35th anniversary edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on black & white marbled vinyl.