Eat Static

Launched in Frome, Somerset, Eat Static took shape in the late 1980s around Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton, who were then also members of Ozric Tentacles. The project moved away from the psychedelic rock of their former band to explore electronics nourished by ambient, acid house, trance, breakbeat and psychedelic techno, with a strong penchant for science-fiction atmospheres and rhythmic structures that spill beyond the most standard dance formats. After early beginnings under the name Wooden Baby, Eat Static released notably Prepare Your Spirit in 1992 and Abduction in 1993, followed by Implant in 1995 and Science of the Gods in 1997, records that establish its universe between cosmic textures, soft basslines and hallucinatory melodic motifs. The duo initially toured in parallel with Ozric Tentacles, then devoted themselves to it full-time from 1994. Steve Everitt also contributed to the project’s trajectory, mainly in the studio, during the early years. The discography continued with Crash and Burn! in 2000, In the Nude! in 2001, De-Classified in 2007, Back to Earth in 2008, Dead Planet/Human Upgrade in 2015 and Last Ship to Paradise in 2017. Since Joie Hinton’s departure in 2008, Eat Static has continued under the impetus of Merv Pepler, while preserving this identity that blends rave culture, psychedelic ambient and extraterrestrial imagery.