B12 (band)

B12
OriginIlford, Essex, England
GenresAmbient techno, IDM
Years active1990–present
LabelsB12 Records, Warp Records
MembersMike Golding
Steven Rutter
Websiteb12records.com

B12 are a British electronic music duo consisting of Mike Golding and Steve Rutter.[1] First appearing in the early 1990s under a variety of monikers, including Musicology, Redcell and Cmetric,[1] the duo were often mistaken as hailing from Detroit, their sound being comparable to the so-called second wave of Detroit techno. This was compounded by the signature style of their initial releases on their own imprint B12 Records, limited editions on coloured 12" vinyl with cryptic messages etched into the run-out grooves, and the fact that Golding and Rutter tended to shy away from the press, and rarely gave interviews, which added to the mystery of their identities.

Their sound is usually categorised as techno, ambient techno, and IDM. Recurring themes of science fiction and futurism can be found in nearly all B12 releases and track names.

  1. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 22/3. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.