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Higher Intelligence Agency mastermind Bobby Bird started the project back in 1992 in Birmingham, England as a live experimental electronic project. Soon he and other members of the Oscillate Collective, a group of artists and musicians involved with the local club Oscillate Sound System, were taking their experimentation to unexpected musical and geographic locations. The sound falls somewhere between ambient and techno, with a healthy experimental streak running throughout. Breakbeats fall like manna from heaven as celestial melodies sky through the group's compositions. Truly a sensual, satisfying listen.

Since releasing their first '92 single, "Ketamine Entity" (which would later appear on the genre-defining compilation Ambient Dub Volume One), The Higher Intelligence Agency has emerged as a full-fledged creative force. The group has released a half-dozen quality albums, has put out numerous singles, and has participated in a number of collaborative ventures. "Tortoise" and "Spectral" are from HIA's 1995 album, Freefloater.