Biography
The D.O.T. came together in 2011 when Mike Skinner and Rob Harvey joined forces, each arriving from sharply contrasting earlier projects. Leeds-born singer Rob Harvey had fronted rock band the Music through three albums issued between 2002 and 2008; when the group abandoned a planned fourth record in 2011, Harvey began looking elsewhere. Simultaneously, Mike Skinner closed the chapter on his U.K. garage-infused rap outfit the Streets by issuing their final album, Computers and Blues.
The pair first connected at gatherings arranged for mutual acquaintances, often by the manager they shared, and later found themselves in the same studio after Skinner requested Harvey’s vocals on several of the Streets’ concluding tracks. Eager to continue the collaboration, they launched the D.O.T. and delivered their debut album, And That, on Skinner’s label the Beats in 2012. Harvey’s emotive, powerful vocal style combined with Skinner’s production instincts and gift for memorable melodies to shape the record, which featured the single “You Never Asked” alongside oddball Detroit rapper Danny Brown and singer Clare Maguire.
Following tours of the U.K. and Japan, the duo promptly recorded the follow-up, Diary. Released in May 2013 via Cooking Vinyl, the album presented the ballad “Blood, Sweat and Tears” as its lead single and included “How We All Lie,” a track that underscored Skinner’s growing emphasis on singing over rapping.
The pair first connected at gatherings arranged for mutual acquaintances, often by the manager they shared, and later found themselves in the same studio after Skinner requested Harvey’s vocals on several of the Streets’ concluding tracks. Eager to continue the collaboration, they launched the D.O.T. and delivered their debut album, And That, on Skinner’s label the Beats in 2012. Harvey’s emotive, powerful vocal style combined with Skinner’s production instincts and gift for memorable melodies to shape the record, which featured the single “You Never Asked” alongside oddball Detroit rapper Danny Brown and singer Clare Maguire.
Following tours of the U.K. and Japan, the duo promptly recorded the follow-up, Diary. Released in May 2013 via Cooking Vinyl, the album presented the ballad “Blood, Sweat and Tears” as its lead single and included “How We All Lie,” a track that underscored Skinner’s growing emphasis on singing over rapping.