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The Focus Group

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The Focus Group
Birth nameJulian House
OriginEngland
GenresElectronica, library music, sampledelia, musique concrète, hauntology, psychedelia
Occupation(s)Musician
songwriter
Years active2004–present
LabelsGhost Box
WebsiteGhost Box Records

The Focus Group is a project of experimental electronic musician and graphic designer Julian House. The Focus Group's sound is a blend of influences ranging from old library music sounds produced in the 1970s, 1960s-inspired pastiches, public information films, and soundtracks to 1970s films and programmes, as well as the sound collage of musique concrète.[1]

The Focus Group have released five studio albums on House's own label, Ghost Box: Sketches and Spells (2004), Hey Let Loose Your Love (2005), We Are All Pan's People (2007), The Elektrik Karousel (2013) and Stop-Motion Happening with the Focus Groop (2017).[2] Hey Let Loose Your Love was featured in The Wire's top 50 albums of 2005.[3]

Additionally, House collaborated with indie electronic band Broadcast, resulting in the 2009 album Broadcast and the Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age (issued by Warp) and the 2010 7-inch EP Familiar Shapes and Noises (released on Ghost Box). Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age was named The Wire's top album of 2009.

Graphic design

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House is also noted as a graphic designer; his work has included cover art for Broadcast, Oasis, Can, Stereolab, Martina Topley-Bird, Razorlight and Primal Scream.[2][4]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Singles and EPs

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  • "We Are Coming Back to Dance With You" digital single (2008, Ghost Box)
  • Ghost Box Free 3 Track EP split digital EP with the Advisory Circle (2008, Ghost Box)
  • Familiar Shapes and Noises 7-inch EP with Broadcast (2010, Ghost Box)

References

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  1. ^ "The Wire magazine No. 273, November 2006". Archived from the original on 23 February 2007.
  2. ^ a b "The Focus Group - Ghost Box". Ghostbox.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  3. ^ "The Wire magazine best of 2005". Thewire.co.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  4. ^ Reynolds, Simon (15 October 2017). "Hauntology: Ghost Box label profile, Frieze magazine October 2005". Reynoldsretro.blogspot.com. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
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