What is "colourbox"

Colourbox were an English electronic musical group on the 4AD label, releasing a number of records between 1982 and 1987. The band was formed by musicians brothers' Martyn and Steve Young and Ian Robbins, along with vocalist Debian Curry. Curry and Robbins departed the band in 1983; with the role of vocalist being filled by Lorita Grahame from that point on.

Colourbox stood apart from their then-4AD labelmates - bands such as Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, and This Mortal Coil (although the Young brothers contributed to tracks on the latter project's first two albums It'll End in Tears and Filigree & Shadow). Their sound was eclectic, drawing from reggae and soul influences (with covers of tracks by U-Roy and Augustus Pablo released as singles), beat-box driven hip-hop rhythms, blue-eyed soul, as well as a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic R&B, to dub and industrial.

Colourbox is the debut mini-album from Colourbox, released by 4AD in November 1983. MAD 315 is the album's catalogue number, used to distinguish it from their 1985 self-titled album, although the mini-album is sometimes referred to as Horses Fucking due to the cover image. It was reissued on CD in 1986 with four additional tracks compiled from the band's singles.

The track "The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme" was originally intended as a football theme, and almost lived up to its name when it was up for consideration as the theme for BBC's World Cup Grandstand during the broadcast of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. That honour, however, went to the song "Aztec Lightning" by Heads.

"Looks Like We're Shy One Horse"/"Shoot Out" features samples from the 1968 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West.

Colourbox is the only full-length studio album from Colourbox, released by 4AD in August 1985. CAD 508 is the album's catalogue number, used to distinguish it from the earlier mini-album of the same name. The first 10,000 copies of the vinyl LP came with a bonus LP MAD 509. The CD release included the first side of the bonus LP. The album was preceded by the singles "Say You" in March 1984, "Punch" in June 1984, and "The Moon Is Blue" in July 1985.