Technique (band)

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This article is about the band. For other uses, see Technique (disambiguation).

Technique was a female alternative synth pop band from the mid-1990s featuring Kate Holmes of Frazier Chorus and singer Xan Tyler. The band was named after the New Order's 1989 album of the same name, and they were signed to the record label owned by Holmes's husband - Alan McGee's Creation Records.

Holmes and Tyler met at Butterfly, the studio owned by legendary producer and former Killing Joke member Youth, where Tyler was working as a session backing vocalist. They began work on their debut album, with synthpop veteran Stephen Hague and Oasis producer Owen Morris handling production duties alongside Holmes herself. Other notable contributors to the album included Ash frontman Tim Wheeler, vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and Youth himself on bass.

Technique released two singles on Creation in the summer of 1999 - Sun is Shining and You & Me. Neither song reached the UK top 40. The album, by now entitled Pop Philosophy, was promo-ed but never officially saw the light of day after McGee decided to close the label. Technique lay dormant for several years while McGee set up his new venture, Poptones. Holmes and Tyler both contributed to Mission Control's Dub Showcase album (produced by Holmes's long-term associated Mad Professor), which featured several unreleased songs from Pop Philosophy.

In 2000, C-pop singer Coco Lee had a huge hit on the Asian market with a cover of Technique's second single, You and Me. Following this, Poptones released a truncated version of Pop Philosophy in Germany and Asia, featuring seven tracks plus two remixes by Matt Darey. Sun is Shining and You & Me were also re-released in Germany, and the band toured extensively during 2001.

Technique evolved into the mysterious electro-pop band Client when Tyler was unable to take part in a tour supporting Depeche Mode. Kate Holmes managed to replace her with Sarah Blackwood from Newcastle upon Tyne band Dubstar.

From this Depeche Mode tour a new masterplan was put in place, with the two becoming Client A and Client B, plus a new deal with Andy Fletcher's Toast Hawaii record label.