Loop

Loop are a London, United Kingdom rock group active from 1985 to 1990 and led by Robert Hampson. Their sound sits in drone, neo-psychedelia, noise rock, and space rock revival, and they are associated with shoegaze, space rock, psychedelic, psychedelic rock, and drone rock. Drawing on influences such as the Stooges and Can, they develop a droning style built on harsh dissonance, heavy repetition, and a dark, trance-like atmosphere.

Formation and early lineup

Loop form in London in 1986 with Robert Hampson on vocals and guitar, Bex on drums, and Glen Ray on bass. Hampson says he knows only four chords at the time of the band’s formation. The debut single, “16 Dreams,” appears with raw feedback-heavy sound and a strong garage influence. John Wills joins on drums soon afterwards, giving the group a more forceful rhythmic base.

1980s releases

With Wills in the lineup, Loop release their first album, Heaven’s End, in 1987. That year they also issue The World in Your Eyes, a collection of singles and B-sides. After signing to Chapter 22 and adding Neil MacKay on bass, they return in 1988 with the 12-inch single “Collision.” Later that year they release Fade Out, their second full-length album. After moving to Situation 2 and adding Scott Dawson as a second guitarist, they issue the single “Arc-Lite” and then release A Gilded Eternity in 1990, their third studio album.

Breakup and related projects

Loop disband after A Gilded Eternity. Posthumous releases follow, including the live album Dual and the BBC sessions collection Wolf Flow. After the split, Neil MacKay and John Wills reunite in Hair & Skin Trading Company, while Robert Hampson and Scott Dawson form Main.

Reissues and later activity

The band’s catalogue goes out of print during the 1990s, then is comprehensively reissued on their Reactor label in 2008. In 2013 the original lineup reunites for touring. A later version of the band, with Hampson, Wills, MacKay, and Dawson, also appears at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival’s “End of an Era, Pt. 2” event at Camber Sands in East Sussex, and performs at Primavera Sound in Barcelona in 2014.

New recordings

Later in 2014, Hampson forms a new lineup with guitarist Dan Boyd, bassist Hugo Morgan, and drummer Wayne Maskell. Through ATP, the label offshoot of All Tomorrow’s Parties, Loop issue Array 1 in 2015, alongside live dates in the UK and Iceland. They also play Meltdown Festival in London in 2018 as part of a lineup curated by Robert Smith of The Cure. In 2022 they release Sonancy, their fourth full-length album and first in over three decades, with material that extends their heavy minimalism and at times draws on a post-punk approach.