Factory Floor

Factory Floor

Performing at the Summer Sundae festival, August 2011
Background information
Origin London, England
Genres Post-industrial, electronic, minimal techno, tech house, experimental, electronic rock
Years active 2005–present
Labels DFA Records, Blast First Petite
Members Gabriel Gurnsey
Dominic Butler
Nik Colk
Past members Mark Harris

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

History

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,[1] and Colk adds manipulated vocals, guitar and samples.[2]

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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[3] 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.[6]

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

Factory Floor's debut self-titled album was released on 9 September 2013 featuring new versions of their previous singles Two Different Ways and Fall Back.

Musical style

Early single "Bipolar" drew comparisons with Joy Division and The Fall.[7] 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".[3] Stephen Morris described the band's sound as "unsettling disco".[5] The NME described the band as "post industrial, but it moves beyond that; this is post-apocalyptic, the soundtrack of an underworld disco."[4] FACT magazine described them as "tech-savvy but pared-down no wave electronic rock".[8]

Discography

Studio Albums

EPs

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "FACT mix 28: Factory Floor", FACT, 10 February 2009, retrieved 2011-09-01
  2. ↑ Turner, Luke (2010) "Factory Floor Live: Beyond The Industrial Production Line", The Quietus, 26 January 2010, retrieved 2011-08-15
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lester, Paul (2009) "New Band of the Day: Factory Floor", The Guardian, 23 December 2009, retrieved 2011-08-15
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hewitt, Ben (2010) "Album Review: Factory Floor - 'Untitled'", NME, 3 May 2010, retrieved 2011-08-15
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Turner, Luke (2010) "Stephen Morris Talks Factory Floor Production & Remix", The Quietus, 28 June 2010, retrieved 2011-08-15
  6. ↑ Mackay, Emily (2012) "This Week's Singles", NME, 18 February 2012, p. 44
  7. ↑ Milton, Jamie (2008) "Factory Floor - 'Bipolar'", Gigwise.com, 22 April 2008, retrieved 2011-08-15
  8. ↑ Foxx, Trilby (2011) "Factory Floor: '( R E A L L O V E )'", FACT, 6 April 2011, retrieved 2011-08-15