Spacek

South London, England's Spacek was the definitive example of the blurred line between trip-hop and R&B, and major (if unwitting) instigators of alternative R&B before the term was commonly used. The trio formed in the mid-'90s; bassist, vocalist, and head songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:5IcRvSiReLydKCr56ObWuX">Steve Spacek</a> (born Steve White) was introduced to guitarist Edmund Cavill through a mutual friend, and former MC <a href="spotify:artist:6583ksivJTO4ipghBgKfN0">Morgan Zarate</a> (aka Morgan Spacek) was discovered through Spacek's management as a fitting drummer for the outfit. By the end of 1998, the group was signed to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island+Blue%22">Island Blue</a> in the U.K.

Working out of the Clapham studio that <a href="spotify:artist:5IcRvSiReLydKCr56ObWuX">Steve Spacek</a> built after receiving a publishing deal in the early '90s (he produced and wrote for Stex, among others), the group generated a fair amount of hype during the latter half of 1999, when a white label of their first single, "Eve," circulated among DJs. Featuring a lush beat, a subtle but melodic bassline, gliding strings, and <a href="spotify:artist:5IcRvSiReLydKCr56ObWuX">Steve Spacek</a>'s silky vocals, it became obvious that the their desire to "bring soul music and R&B up to date" would be fulfilled. The group released a pair of albums: Curvatia (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Island%22">Island</a>, 2001) and the comparatively stripped-down Vintage Hi-Tech (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Studio+%21K7%22">Studio !K7</a>, 2003). <a href="spotify:artist:5IcRvSiReLydKCr56ObWuX">Steve Spacek</a> subsequently went solo under his own name, used the aliases Blackpocket and <a href="spotify:artist:6VDV1yCgghJfUV5jhD6LQe">Beat Spacek</a>, and recorded with <a href="spotify:artist:7wDfZhaCORLgP3K62R3MJK">Mark Pritchard</a> as <a href="spotify:artist:0NwdePm5jeQAtYt7dyFVEu">Africa HiTech</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:6583ksivJTO4ipghBgKfN0">Zarate</a> was active with solo releases on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Hyperdub%22">Hyperdub</a> and a partnership with <a href="spotify:artist:5RDbgeLzGrWD05lGad7fK5">A-Cyde</a> as <a href="spotify:artist:2spf1BH5FXe4pmo2iXKivJ">We Are Shining</a>. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi