Forest of Dean, UK · madchester · alt-dance

EMF

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Baggy-era indie-dance with one inescapable single built on a sample and pure adolescent energy — 'Unbelievable' still does exactly what it says.

EMF formed in October 1989 in Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, as the baggy and indie-dance scenes were peaking. The name is short for Epsom Mad Funkers, borrowed from a New Order fan club. Singer James Atkin, bassist Zac Foley, drummer Mark Decloedt, keyboard player Derry Brownson and guitarist Ian Dench had all been active on the local Forest of Dean music scene before joining forces.

Their debut single, "Unbelievable", built on a loop, a rave-adjacent rhythm section and spoken samples from comedian Andrew Dice Clay, reached number 3 on the UK charts and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. It appeared on their first album, Schubert Dip, which reached number 3 in the UK; Dench explained the title by saying he often borrowed chord sequences from the composer.

The sound combined guitar rock with dance beats and keyboards, in the mould of the era's Manchester-associated bands, though the group came from rural western England rather than the north. Follow-up album Stigma sold poorly, and 1995's Cha Cha Cha produced the singles "Perfect Day" and "Bleeding You Dry", alongside a cover of "I'm a Believer" with comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer that reached UK number 3.

The band split after a further single failed to chart, though all members kept making music elsewhere before a 2001 reunion gig and a greatest-hits release. Bassist Zac Foley died in January 2002 at the age of 31. EMF eventually returned to recording, releasing Go Go Sapiens in April 2022, their first album of new material in 27 years.

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