Their first releases were very limited vinyl singles on various different small, indie, and some now defunct, record labels, although 555 records who released '(The) Weight' in 1998 is still alive.
In 1994, record labels Fluff and Slumberland released Hood's first full length album, entitled 'Cabled Linear Traction'. It was a landmark for the band, some still say it's their best album. It had similarities to bands like The Cure, Sonic Youth and Pavement.
The album was issued on CD in 1999 by Slumberland, who also released 1996's 'Silent 88' album. The latter was similar sounding to 'CLT', but with much more experimentation going on and far more use of electronics.
A collection of limited and rare singles was put together by Happy Go Lucky records in 1997 and released on CD and vinyl, the vinyl version coming with a free 7" record.
In 1997, Domino Record Co snapped up Hood and released the single 'Useless'. A lo-fi indie electronica affair, not too dissimilar to the aforementioned '(The) Weight' released the next year.
Around this time Chris was releasing instrumental electronic material as Downpour, often involving heavily distorted drum and bass.
After another handful of singles and eps for Domino, they released the album 'Rustic Houses, Forlorn Valleys' in 1998. A dense, dark and tension building album, sounding somewhere in between Labradford, Mogwai and Massive Attack and produced by the band and Matt Elliott from Third Eye Foundation.
A year later came 'The Cycle of Days and Seasons', once again produced by Matt Elliott. With an ever changing line up still revolving around the two brothers, the sound of the band changed yet again, moving further into indie electronics.
Colaborating with friends Doseone and Why? from the Anticon collective came Hoods 5th studio album 'Cold House' in 2001, their most well known and collectively appreciated ablum. It contained elements of Post Rock, IDM, Indie as well as Doseone and Why?'s voice and lyric talents. Features the single 'You Show No Emotion At All'. Released on Domino.
In early 2005, Hood released 'Outside Closer', an emotional journey through ambience and hip hop beats. More line up changes occured, meaning this album was yet again different to the previous. Taking influence from The Remote Viewer, Prefuse 73 and Empress (the singer of which appears on the album). The tracks 'The Lost You' and 'The Negatives' were released as singles, featuring b-sides and videos for the tracks.
Since the release of 'Outside Closer' Hood have toured with Why? promoting his new album 'Elephant Eyelash' and released various remixes.
During 2006, Gareth S Brown, who played in the aforementioned tour, has been working on a solo album, due for release in November on Richard's girlfriend's label Misplaced Pets.
Currently due for release on record label anticon, is a solo album from Hood lead singer Chris Adams under the name of Bracken. The lead single from the album, titled 'Heathens', is due out in November, the album, titled 'We Know About the Need' follows in January.
In 2007 Richard Adams formed a side project The Declining Winter which has spawned a 7" The Future Sound of Hip Hop parts 1 and 2 and an album Goodbye Minnesota.
There are no plans for any further Hood releases.
Your Ambient Voice
Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ground is still wet
From the rain last night
Salt
How I (?)
The gray-black rain
You say – do you know what it is like
To wake up early
And able to slow
Before the sun
Breaks through the mess of the morning
Do you know
What it is like to
To regret everything
Everything
Everything
Everything
I regret everything
Everything
Everything
Everything
The song "Your Ambient Voice" by Hood is a melancholic reflection on regret and the passing of time. The opening line sets the scene with a description of the wet ground after a storm. The next lines are somewhat cryptic, with the word "salt" possibly being a reference to tears or sweat, but the meaning is left open to interpretation. The imagery of the "gray-black rain" suggests a dreary, overcast day, and the phrase "drip in a dark" creates a sense of gloom and isolation.
The lyrics then shift to a conversation between two people. One speaker asks the other if they know what it's like to wake up early and be able to slow down, to appreciate the calm before the chaos of the day. This moment of peace is fleeting, however, and soon the "mess of the morning" breaks through. The final lines repeat the phrase "I regret everything" several times, emphasizing the weight of past mistakes and missed opportunities.
Overall, "Your Ambient Voice" is a contemplative and introspective song, exploring themes of regret and the passage of time. The specific details of the lyrics are left vague, allowing listeners to project their own experiences and emotions onto the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The ground is still wet
The ground is moist and damp due to last night's heavy rain.
From the rain last night
The ground is still wet because it rained heavily last night.
Salt
The singer is possibly reminiscing or referring to the taste of salt, which could have multiple interpretations.
How I (?)
The artist is expressing their thoughts or emotions, which could possibly be a continuation of the previous line regarding salt.
The gray-black rain
The rain is dark and gloomy in color, possibly reflecting the artist's mood or emotions.
drip in a dark
The rain drops are falling down in a dark and gloomy atmosphere, perhaps emphasizing the sombre tone.
You say – do you know what it is like
An unknown person is questioning if the singer knows how something feels or what it's like.
To wake up early
The unknown person is possibly referring to waking up early in the morning.
And able to slow
The artist is possibly able to slow down and appreciate the present moment, instead of rushing through the day.
Before the sun
This phrase may imply that the artist is able to relish in the quiet before the day truly starts, when there is still darkness around.
Breaks through the mess of the morning
The sun 'breaking through' may signify a disruption or disturbance of the previously quiet atmosphere, possibly indicative of an upcoming busy day.
Do you know
The unknown person is still questioning the artist's understanding of the aforementioned scenario.
What it is like to
The unknown person is asking the singer if they have experienced a certain feeling or scenario before.
To regret everything
The unknown person is asking the singer if they have ever felt regret about everything in their lives.
Everything
The unknown person reiterates the question of regret, emphasizing the magnitude of the feeling.
Everything
The unknown person repeats the same question again, further emphasizing the significance of regret.
Everything
The unknown person repeats the same question for the final time, likely trying to evoke a sense of emotion or understanding from the artist.
I regret everything
The singer admits that they do, in fact, regret everything and feel remorseful about their past experiences or decisions.
Everything
The singer repeats the same word again, emphasizing the gravity of their emotions.
Everything
The artist reiterates their previous sentiment, solidifying their sense of regret over everything.
Everything
The artist repeats the word once again, potentially indicating the cyclical nature of regret.
Contributed by Joseph B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.