Ultramarine, the English electronic duo formed in 1989 by Ian Cooper and Paul Hammond, emerged from Maldon, Essex, where the two met at 14 years old and later relocated to London; their early collaboration in the mid‑1980s as A Primary Industry set the foundation for their subsequent work. The group’s breakthrough came with the 1989 single "Wyndham Lewis" and the 1990 release Folk on Les Disques du Crépuscule, followed by the 1991 album Every Man and Woman Is a Star on Brainiak Records, which established their reputation in the underground scene. In 1992 they toured the United States with Meat Beat Manifesto and Orbital, and the 1993 single "Kingdom" entered the UK charts, marking their highest commercial success. Subsequent albums-United Kingdoms (1993), Bel Air (1995), and A User's Guide (1998)-were issued on Blanco y Negro and New Electronica, while a 2003 compilation Companion: Every Man and Woman Is a Star Versions was released by LTM Recordings. After a hiatus, the duo returned with This Time Last Year (2013) and Signals into Space (2019), the latter featuring collaborations with Anna Domino, Iain Ballamy, and Ric Elsworth, and produced in London by Andy Ramsay and mastered by Noel Summerville. Throughout their career, Ultramarine maintained a consistent presence in the electronic music landscape, achieving chart recognition with "Kingdom" and contributing to the genre’s evolution through innovative releases and collaborations.
