Lamb

In Manchester, producer Andy Barlow and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes came together in the mid-1990s to form the duo Lamb, blending trip hop, drum and bass, jazz, dub, breakbeat and, later, more folk- and acoustic-leaning elements. From their debut album Lamb (1996) the project developed a recognizable writing style based on the contrast between Barlow’s tense rhythms and Rhodes’ supple voice; tracks like “Górecki” helped the project reach audiences beyond the electronic scene. Subsequent releases — Fear of Fours (1999), What Sound (2001) and Between Darkness and Wonder (2003) — continued this outward-looking approach, broadening their melodic palette while remaining rooted in British electronic music, often associated with Bristol’s trip hop scene despite their Manchester origins. After splitting in 2004, Lamb reunited in 2009 for concerts and festivals and returned to the studio with 5 (2011), Backspace Unwind (2014) and The Secret of Letting Go (2019). Alongside the duo, Lou Rhodes and Andy Barlow pursued solo projects, while Lamb alternated studio work and European performances through the duo’s later years.