Space: The Pioneers of Liverpool's Alternative Dance Scene

Space are a British alternative dance and indie rock band who emerged from Liverpool in the 1990s. The group is best known for their eclectic, sample-heavy sound and their 1996 UK Top 5 hit, Female of the Species.

Early career

Space formed in Liverpool in 1993 around the core duo of songwriter and bassist Tommy Scott and guitarist Jamie Murphy. They quickly developed a reputation for their quirky, cinematic style, blending rock with electronic elements, samples, and darkly humorous lyrics, which led to a deal with Gut Records.

Breakthrough

The band's major breakthrough came in 1996 with the release of their debut album, Spiders. The album was a commercial success, propelled by a string of inventive singles and peaking at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart, eventually achieving Platinum certification.

Key tracks

Female of the Species - This 1996 single, featuring vocals from actress and model Goldie, became the band's signature hit, reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart.

Neighbourhood - Another key single from Spiders, this track showcased their narrative songwriting and reached the UK Top 20.

Avenging Angels - This 1998 single continued their chart success, landing in the UK Top 10 and featuring on their second album, Tin Planet.

Dark Clouds - A later single that demonstrated the band's continued ability to craft catchy, atmospheric pop-rock anthems.

The success of Spiders was followed by the 1998 album Tin Planet, which debuted at number 2 on the UK chart. The band's output continued into the 2000s with albums like Love You More Than Football and Suburban Rock 'n' Roll, maintaining their distinctive blend of alternative rock and electronic influences despite lineup changes.

Fans of Space's genre-blending approach from the UK might also enjoy the work of The Chemical Brothers, who share a fondness for weaving rock energy into electronic music. The psychedelic pop sensibilities of The Lightning Seeds offer another Liverpool-born parallel. For the quirky, sample-based songcraft, explore The KLF. The atmospheric indie of Suede also resonates with certain aspects of their sound.

The music of Space remains a staple on alternative rock and indie radio stations, particularly those celebrating the eclectic sounds of the 1990s British music scene.

Listeners can discover the genre-defying music of Space through the radio stations featured on onairium.com.