Bent

Hailing from Nottingham, England—a locale noted for its law-enforcement leanings—Simon Mills and Neil “Nail” Tolliday first crossed paths while sharing a house and subsequently launched the wryly named duo Bent. Their sound sits midway between the tranquil dawn ambiance of Air and a restrained Bentley Rhythm Ace. Disenchantment with conventional house music, coupled with an accumulation of substandard vinyl, shaped their core approach. Lowbrow samples layer jazz, rock, and hip-hop rhythms, infusing them with a knowing layer of satirical mockery, while juvenile track names such as the salacious “Welly Top Mary” signal an effort to locate grandeur amid even the most laughable material. In 2000 the pair issued their understated yet favorably received first full-length, Programmed to Love, an album that directly led to a Best Newcomer nomination for Bent at that year’s Muzik Awards.