Factory Floor

All Music Guide:

Soon after they formed in 2008, London’s enigmatic trio Factory Floor garnered comparisons to post-punk and industrial greats like Joy Division and Throbbing Gristle. The group’s first lineup featured drummer/vocalist Gabriel Gurnsey, keyboardist/bassist/vocalist Dominic Butler, and guitarist/percussionist Mark. From their debut single, the limited-release Bipolar, it was clear that their abrasive yet hypnotic and even danceable music was very different than that of other groups inspired by the post-punk era. Late in 2008, Factory Floor released the Planning Application EP, which took six weeks to record and featured Nikki Colk, formerly of Kaito UK, on guest vocals. Early in 2009, Colk joined the group as a full-time member. That year, the Japanese release Talking on Cliffs arrived, and the band supported the Horrors on their Primary Colours U.K. tour and Psychic TV on selected gigs. After signing to Blast First, the band’s busy 2010 included the March release of the Lying single, which featured a remix of their song “Wooden Box” by Joy Division/New Order drummer Stephen Morris. Later that spring, they opened for Liars on the U.K. dates of their Sisterworld tour, and released their critically acclaimed debut mini-album, Untitled, in May. That September, they contributed a remix to Grinderman’s second album, and that winter, they played All Tomorrow’s Parties’ first New Year’s Eve celebration along with the likes of Sonic Youth and Shellac.

Wikipedia:

Factory Floor are a London-based band formed in 2005. They have been described as 'post-industrial', using live drums, synthesizers and noise.

History[edit]

The band formed in 2005, originally comprising Gabriel Gurnsey and Mark Harris, who were then joined by Dominic Butler. Harris later left, and they were joined by Nik Colk (aka Nik Colk Void), formerly of KaitO, in 2010. Gurnsey plays drums and drum machines, Butler plays modular synths and electronics, and Colk adds manipulated vocals, guitar and samples.

After two singles in 2008, and a mini-album, Talking On Cliffs in 2009, the band signed to Blast First's 'Blast First Petite' label, releasing several twelve-inch singles, including "Wooden Box", featuring a Stephen Morris remix, and an untitled ten-inch mini-LP in 2010. The latter was described by the NME as "a terrifying racket that simultaneously frazzles the nerves and slackens the bowels" and "an incessant drone of keyboards wired through twisted-metal synthesizers and thundering drums summoned from the heavens", writer Ben Hewitt giving it a 9/10 rating. The singles "Real Love" and "Two Different Ways" followed in 2011.

The band approached Morris by sending him a CD and asking if he would do a remix. After remixing "Wooden Box", Morris went on to work with the band as producer.

Two twelve-inch releases followed featuring remixes by Stephen Morris and Chris Carter. Since then Factory Floor have released "(R E A L L O V E)" (Optimo), and "Two Different Ways" on DFA Records.

In 2011 the band played a support slot for Chris & Cosey at the ICA and Chris Carter joined the band later that year for two performances: Primavera Sound and the Roundhouse.

Colk Void released a single, "Gold E", under the name Nik Colk Void in February 2012.

"Fall Back", the first single off their upcoming debut album, was released on 14th January 2013.

Factory Floor's debut self-titled album is due to be released on 9th September 2013 and will feature new versions of their previous singles Two Different Ways and Fall Back.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Musical style[edit]

Early single "Bipolar" drew comparisons with Joy Division and The Fall. Paul Lester of The Guardian described the band in 2009 as "metronomic synth-noir over which a woman – who vaguely resembles, vocally, Nico in a particularly dark mood – intones mournfully". Stephen Morris described the band's sound as "unsettling disco". The NME described the band as "post industrial, but it moves beyond that; this is post-apocalyptic, the soundtrack of an underworld disco." FACT magazine described them as "tech-savvy but pared-down no wave electronic rock".Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).