Clor

All Music Guide:

The idea for South London's electro-rock outfit Clor came from Bad Bunny, a club night that singer Barry Dobbin and guitarist Luke Smith ran. Along with the music they already spun -- which ranged from reggae to electronic to pop -- the duo wanted to incorporate their own music into their DJ sets, so they began recording at Smith's apartment. Dobbin and Smith invited some of the other musicians and crew involved with Bad Bunny into the fold, and Clor (so named because Dobbin wanted something that sounded raw, primitive, and futuristic at the same time) expanded to a quintet. The group recorded a demo, Welcome Music Lovers, with the intention of sending it out to book shows at other clubs. However, word of mouth about Clor's demo spread so quickly that the band signed to Parlophone after playing only six gigs. Welcome Music Lovers was released as the band's debut EP late in 2004. Despite their record deal, Clor's creative process didn't change much: the band recorded its 2005 self-titled debut (which was preceded by the singles Love + Pain and Outlines) at Smith's place, and the results were as quirky and danceable as ever. In spring 2006, just before Clor was due for release in the U.S., the band broke up due to creative differences.

Wikipedia:

Clor were a short-lived five-piece band from Brixton, England, formed in 2003. In the UK they were signed to Parlophone. Their music is angular in melody and jerky in rhythm, and is often compared to Devo and Gary Numan. Their breakthrough came with the release of their self-titled first album, released in 2005 to critical acclaim. The album was place first in a list of the "Greatest Albums You've Never Heard" by the NME in 2010.

In May 2006, the band announced that they had split. Their manager stated that the future paths of Dobbin and Smith were unclear, though would likely involve musical pursuits. Smith has since produced Shitdisco's album, Kingdom of Fear (released April 2007) and Foals album Total Life Forever (released May 2010). Smith has also produced an EP with frYars and is currently producing new material with him. Dobbin has since started a solo project called Barringtone.