Factory Floor

The band formed in 2005, originally comprising Gabriel Gurnsey and Mark Harris, who were then joined by Dominic Butler. Harris later left, going on to form Shift Work.[1] Gurnsey and Butler were then joined by Nik Colk (aka Nik Colk Void), formerly of KaitO, in 2010. Gurnsey played drums and drum machines, Butler played modular synths and electronics,[2] and Colk added manipulated vocals, guitar and samples.[3]

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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] After remixing "Wooden Box", Morris continued to work with the band as producer.

Two twelve-inch releases followed featuring remixes by Stephen Morris and Chris Carter.[4] Since then, Factory Floor 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 at Primavera Sound and the Roundhouse.

Colk Void released a single, "Gold E", under the name Nik Colk Void in February 2012.[7]

"Fall Back", the first single off their 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", after which Dominic Butler departed the group.[8] Their second album 25 25 was released on 19 August 2016,[9] to positive reviews.[10][11]

Early single "Bipolar" drew comparisons with Joy Division and The Fall.[12] 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".[4] Collaborator Stephen Morris described the band's sound as "unsettling disco".[6] The NME described the band as "post industrial, but it moves beyond that; this is post-apocalyptic, the soundtrack of an underworld disco."[5] FACT magazine described them as "tech-savvy but pared-down no wave electronic rock".[13]