Time Zero

With a musical vision that is at the same time dark and ominous, yet stylish and sophisticated, Univers Zero are one of the most unique and influential bands ever to be associated with progressive rock, and the undisputed creators of the genre known as 'chamber rock'. Getting their inspiration from such diverse sources as rock, jazz, European folk and classical music (both ancient and modern), they have forged a distinctive sound that has received widespread critical acclaim, as well as influencing a vast number of contemporary avant-garde bands and ensembles.
Hailing from Belgium, the band was formed in 1973 by drummer Daniel Denis and trumpeter Claude Deron, with the original name of Necronomicon - though this was changed to Univers Zero (after a book by Belgian novelist Jacques Sternberg) in 1974…

The men behind the European downtempo outfit Zero 7 – producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker – launched their careers in the music industry as tea boys at a London recording studio. Shortly thereafter, however, both were in the thick of action, working alongside a string of well-known British musicians such as the Pet Shop Boys and Robert Plant. They spent the best part of the '90s honing their production skills behind the scenes. Then, after taking on the name of a nightclub in Honduras, the duo gradually began unleashing their own ideas onto an unsuspecting public.

Zero 7 is a downtempo act comprising Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker from the United Kingdom. The band’s songs feature vocals from Mozez, Sia Furler, Tina Dico, Sophie Barker and José González.

On 23rd April 2001 they released their debut album, Simple Things, to wide acclaim. The album featured collaborations with vocalists Mozez, Sia Furler, and Sophie Barker.

On 1st March 2004 they released their second album, When It Falls. In addition to the three vocalists from their first album, it also featured a collaboration with Tina Dico. In the same year, Binns also co-wrote the Emma Bunton track Breathing from her second solo album.

Their third album The Garden was released on 22nd May 2006 and features José González and Sia Furler. It is a departure from the trip-hop sound that defined their first two albums, Simple Things and When It Falls. The Garden has much more of an acoustic rather than electronic flavour to it. The Garden is also notable in that it marks the vocal debut of Henry Binns; and while he doesn’t want the record to be defined by such a fact, it does add another personality to the mix. He duets on PlayThrow It All Away, PlayThis Fine Social Scene and PlayWaiting to Die, and sings solo on PlayYour Place.

However, if there is one fact that Henry and Sam don’t want people to be confused by, it is the title of the album, The Garden. Taken from the album artwork, which is a series of collages designed by a friend of theirs, entitled, spookily enough, The Garden, the duo are keen for the album’s meaning not to get lost in translation.