Lamb (electronic band)
| Company type | Music duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Manchester , England |
Area served | International |
Key people | Andy Barlow, Lou Rhodes |
| Products | Music albums, singles, live performances |
Lamb was an electronic music duo originating from Manchester, England, known for integrating styles such as trip hop, drum and bass, and jazz into their sound. The group comprised producer Andy Barlow and vocalist-songwriter Lou Rhodes. They gained commercial recognition through popular singles like Górecki and Gabriel.
Biography
In 1995, after presenting just three tracks, Lamb secured a six-album contract with Mercury Records.[1] Their self-titled debut album, Lamb, was released in September 1996. Over the span of eight years, they produced three additional albums alongside several singles, culminating in the 2004 compilation Best Kept Secrets. Despite receiving positive critical feedback, widespread mainstream success remained elusive, resulting in diminished activity and infrequent live performances during the early 2000s. Their final advertised concert took place at Amsterdam's Paradiso in September 2004,[2] after which both members embarked on individual artistic endeavors. Rhodes temporarily stepped away from music to live in a commune before releasing her debut solo album in 2006.[3]
Although their roots lie in Manchester, Lamb is frequently associated with the Bristol-based trip hop movement of the 1990s. Their musical style fuses trip hop with influences from jazz, dub, breakbeat, industrial sounds, and drum and bass, characterized by powerful vocals and an increasing presence of acoustic elements in later releases. While their UK presence was significant, their international commercial reach was mostly limited except in Portugal, where "Gabriel" from their 2001 album What Sound achieved chart-topping status.
Renowned for innovative production techniques and emotive lyricism, Lamb's visually artistic videos draw inspiration from Cyberpunk, George Lucas' film THX 1138, and Zen Buddhist philosophy.
Their most identifiable song remains "Górecki" from their debut record, which takes inspiration from Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3. This track featured prominently in Baz Luhrmann's film Moulin Rouge!, as well as advertisements for Guinness and Tomb Raider: Underworld, along with the 1998 movie "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer". Additionally, Lamb composed music for the animated road movie The Fall & Rise of the Fools Ark (2004), created by Dutch artists Dadara and Jesse, which stylistically echoes influences such as Monty Python and Yellow Submarine.
Reunion
During their hiatus, both members explored solo careers. Rhodes launched her Mercury-nominated solo debut Beloved One through her own label Infinite Bloom in 2006, followed by subsequent albums Bloom (2008) and One Good Thing (2010).
Barlow engaged in projects including "Hoof" alongside Oddur Runasson—who also contributed to Rhodes’ debut—and "Luna Seeds" featuring vocalist Carrie Tree. He produced Fink’s album Distance and Time and issued his first solo work under the moniker LOWB titled Leap and the Net will Appear in 2011 via his label Ear Parcel Recordings.
In February 2009, The Big Chill festival announced Lamb’s reunion for their August lineup. The band expanded this return with performances at Cactus Festival, Beautiful Days Festival, Glastonbury, as well as festivals held in Porto and Prague. Initially, there were no announcements regarding new recordings.
Later that year, additional concerts were arranged for 2010. At a January 2010 show in Brisbane—the thirty-second of an originally planned seven—Barlow described it as their "last gig ever, but who knows," hinting at possible future appearances.
In December 2010, Lamb revealed they were working on their fifth studio album titled 5. Tracks were previewed during Playground Weekender near Sydney in February 2011. A limited edition of 2,800 hand-numbered copies was made available for pre-order through their website and shipped in May 2011; a commercial release followed on 9 June in the UK via Strata Music, with other European releases occurring subsequently.
In 2011, the group issued their inaugural live album Live at Koko (Strata Music) along with the DVD Lamb Live at the Paradiso (Strata Music), recorded at their September 2004 Amsterdam performance.
To support 5, Lamb embarked on a European tour beginning on 19 May in Kyiv, including shows at various festivals and a concert at London’s Somerset House. A further European tour took place from January to February 2012, concluding with a performance in Paris.
On 10 March 2014, Lamb’s debut album Lamb was reissued on heavyweight 180-gram green/black vinyl (limited to the first 1,000 copies) featuring three additional remixes. Later that year, their album What Sound was also scheduled for vinyl re-release accompanied by remixes.
Backspace Unwind (2014)
On 13 October 2014, Lamb released their album Backspace Unwind through Strata/Butler Records, available in four distinct formats. The album’s lead single, "We Fall in Love," was unveiled on 6 October 2014 and earned the distinction of Q Magazine's Track of the Day. It subsequently received the award for Best Chillout/Lounge Track at the 2015 International Dance Music Awards.
Additional songs, including a live demo version of "As Satellites Go By," were shared with fans via the band's official website and social media channels. In celebration of Record Store Day 2015, a limited edition 10" red vinyl featuring two tracks not previously released on vinyl was issued.
To promote the album, Lamb embarked on tours spanning the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand between late 2014 and throughout 2015.
Lamb 21st Anniversary Tour
Towards the end of 2017, Lamb commemorated the 21st anniversary of their debut record with a European tour named "Twenty-One." A standout moment was a two-set performance at Manchester Cathedral, which was recorded live and distributed as a complimentary autographed double CD to attendees. The tour wrapped up with a final show at Berlin’s iconic Funkhaus venue.
The Secret of Letting Go (2019)
Their seventh and concluding studio album, The Secret of Letting Go, was crafted over the course of a year across studios located in England’s South Downs, India, and Ibiza. This release continued to showcase Lamb’s signature experimental style. The album’s title track was composed during the period when the band made the decision to part ways.
Solo projects
In addition to their work with Lamb, both Rhodes and Barlow developed individual solo careers.
Rhodes brought out four solo albums: Beloved One (2006), which earned a Mercury Prize nomination, followed by Bloom (2007), One Good Thing (2010), and theyesandeye (2016).
Barlow adopted the alias LOWB for his solo efforts. In 2013, he reissued his debut solo album Leap and the Net Will Appear through Distiller Records, featuring additional tracks and refreshed artwork. That same year, LOWB appeared live on BBC Radio 2's Dermot O'Leary show and performed at The Great Escape Festival. Barlow also continued his work as a producer and co-writer for other artists, including contributions to The Ramona Flowers and David Gray’s 2014 album Mutineers.
Rhodes expanded into children's literature by authoring The Phlunk (2012) along with its sequel The Phlunk's Worldwide Symphony, which had a limited edition pre-release sale in April 2014.
Current members
- Andy Barlow – production, songwriting, keyboards, programming, percussion, bass guitar, turntables (1996–2004, 2009–present)
- Lou Rhodes – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, songwriting, programming (1996–2004, 2009–present)
Current touring members
- Jon Thorne – electric and acoustic bass (1996–2004, 2009–present)
- Nikolaj Bjerre – drums (1996–2004, 2009–present)
- Quinta – violin and viola (2017–present)
- Danny Lohner – acoustic and electric guitar, effects processing, samples (2009–present)
- Kevin Davy – trumpet, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet (1996–2000, 2004, 2017–present)
Former touring members
- Oddur Runarsson – acoustic and electric guitar (1996–2004)
- Pauline Kirke – cello (2004)
- Liz Liew – violin (2004)
- Sarah Liew – violin (2004)
Studio albums
| 1996 | Lamb
|
| 1999 | Fear of Fours
|
| 2001 | What Sound
|
| 2003 | Between Darkness and Wonder
|
| 2011 | 5
|
| 2014 | Backspace Unwind
|
| 2019 | The Secret of Letting Go
|
Compilation albums
- 2004 Best Kept Secrets: The Best of Lamb 1996–2004 (Universal)
- Chart peaks include UK No. 111; AU No. 65; BEL No. 24
- 2005 Lamb Remixed (Mercury/Universal)
Live albums
- 2011 Live at Koko (Strata)
- 2012 Live at the Paradiso (2004)
- 2017 Live at Manchester Cathedral
From Lamb
- 1996 "Cotton Wool"
- Reached UK No. 76
- 1996 "Gold"
- UK chart peak at No.132
- 1996 "God Bless"
- UK position No.92
- 1997 "Górecki"
- UK charted at No.30
From Fear of Fours
- 1999 "B Line"
- UK peak at No.52
- 1999 "All in Your Hands"
- UK position at No.71
- 1999 "Softly"
From What Sound
- 2001 "Gabriel"
- Charted AU No.95 and PT No.1
- 2002 "Sweet"
From Between Darkness and Wonder
- 2004 "Wonder"
- Attained UK position No.81
From 5
- 2011 "Build a Fire"
- 2012 "Butterfly Effect"
From Backspace Unwind
- 2014 "We Fall in Love"
- 2015 "In Binary"
- 2015 "What Makes Us Human"
From The Secret of Letting Go
- 2017 "Illumina"
- 2019 "Armageddon Waits"
DVDs
- 2004 The Fall & Rise of the Fools Ark (collaboration with Dadara and Jesse)
- 2011 Live at the Paradiso (recorded in 2004) released via Strata Music
External links
- ↑ Fox, Killian (4 June 2011). "Lamb: 'We made a huge leap of faith'". The Guardian.
- ↑ This performance was filmed for the DVD 'Live at the Paradiso' released in 2011.
- ↑ Wehner, Cyclone (12 April 2007). "The Hippie Shake: Bohemian Lou Rhodes Leaves Lamb on the Rack". Herald Sun.