Zero 7

British producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker have built an extensive body of work under the Zero 7 name, covering trip-hop, downtempo, acid jazz, and multiple electronic styles. Formed during the late 1990s, the pair issued many singles along with remixes and EPs, plus well-received albums such as When It Falls from 2004 and The Garden two years afterward; both reached the British Top Five and appeared on charts throughout Europe. Zero 7 positioned themselves as broad-minded curators early on, teaming up with numerous artists by remixing songs from Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, and Sneaker Pimps, while featuring performers including Sia, Mozez, and Sophie Barker on their recordings. Following the 2009 release Yeah Ghost, their album output decreased as they concentrated on EPs, notably Simple Science in 2014 and Shadows in 2020—a project with Lou Stone issued via their Make Records label—alongside tracks such as the expansive "Aurora" featuring José González and "Swimmers" with Jem Cooke.

Binns and Hardaker entered the music business serving as tea boys in a London studio. Before long they advanced to engineering sessions for Pet Shop Boys and Robert Plant, spending much of the decade refining their craft out of the spotlight. Adopting the moniker of a Honduran nightclub, they started sharing original creations with listeners by first delivering remixes like Radiohead's "Climbing Up the Walls" and Terry Callier's "Love Theme from Spartacus." Their initial efforts came as limited-edition EPs: the 1999 release EP 1 sold out rapidly despite small pressing numbers, as did its follow-up EP 2.

The eagerly awaited debut album Simple Things appeared in the middle of 2001. Blending relaxed soul, acid jazz, and funk numbers, it showcased vocalists Mozez, Sia, and Sophie Barker, earning a Mercury Prize nomination. March 2004 brought the second album When It Falls, and 2006 saw the arrival of The Garden, nominated for a Grammy and incorporating work from Sia and José González. Inclusion on the Garden State soundtrack broadened their reach to listeners outside the usual downtempo audience. For their subsequent endeavor they partnered with London vocalist Eska Mtungwazi, whose input steered them toward greater pop elements. Yeah Ghost, out in 2009, presented a refreshed combination of pop-tinged electronica and ambient jazz; the duo performed across the Atlantic to promote it. Though it garnered steady praise, commercial results were limited, leading Atlantic to end their association.

After the 2010 collection titled Record, Zero 7 moved to independent releases of singles and EPs. They produced quality tracks such as "On My Own" and "Don't Call It Love" at a measured pace. Returning to the EP approach yielded Simple Science in 2014 and EP3 the next year, both via the newly established Make Records. Zero 7 reemerged in 2018 with the lively single "Mono" that included Hidden, followed by a 2019 reunion with José González on "Aurora" and a shimmering collaboration "Swimmers" with Jem Cooke.