Crustation was formed in Bristol, England, by Ian Dark, Stig Manley, and Mark
Taylor, who had been collaborating for over a year before adding Irish vocalist
Bronagh Slevin in 1995; the trio combined electronic production with live
instrumentation. Their breakthrough came with two vinyl EPs released prior to
their debut album, Bloom, which was issued in 1997 under the Zomba label and
produced by Steve Osborne and Ben Hillier; the ten tracks displayed a
melancholic, dream‑like aesthetic and were performed live to emphasize a natural
connection distinct from the urban trip‑hop scen...