Widely credited as the founder of the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) genre, The Black Dog came about in the late 1980s in Sheffield, England. Formed by Ken Downie, who recruited members of the group Plaid to join him, The Black Dog had difficulty finding a record label that understood its progressive style of electronic music and so created its own label to release its first few recordings--before the underground music scene began paying attention to the group. Though the band has taken short hiatuses and altered its lineup a bit, Downie has consistently remained at the helm of The Black Dog and has put out a number of respected records, all showcasing the experimental and dark ambient side of electronic music.
