Lionrock

Producer Justin Robertson began recording as Lionrock in 1991 after plotting a successful career as a DJ and remixer. Aloof from the limelight and popular almost despite himself, Robertson took an almost laughably conventional route to a level of success reached by probably less then one percent of dance music producers. A native of Manchester, Robertson earned a degree in philosophy before taking a job as (what else) a record clerk in the Eastern Bloc record shop, where he began collecting the funkier side of progressive house and DJing on a regular basis. After remixing a track for Mad Jack on in-house label Creed (his mix of "Feel the Hit" became something of a underground smash), Robertson was subsequently flagged down by the likes of the Shamen, Candyflip, the Sugarcubes, and Erasure to lend his evolving signature to their material. As his style matured, he became associated with the burgeoning Balaeric scene (a hodge-podge subcategory of house encompassing a range of influences, from rock and R&B to disco and garage). Robertson released his solo debut, "Roots and Culture"/"Lionrock," on his own Most Excellent label in 1992. After peaking a few brows and spawning another round of remix work, Robertson was courted by pop/dance label Deconstruction, with whom he signed in 1993. Robertson released an additional EP, Packet of Peace, on Deconstruction in April of 1993 before settling in to record his full-length debut. Released late the following year, An Instinct for Detection was an ambitious effort to say the least, featuring scads of instrumentation resolutely un-traditional by U.K. dance music standards, mixed and matched with dirty house breaks and aggressive but accessible arrangements. Although the record was met warmly, its subtle abuse of pop (in the Beach...