Smith & Mighty

Smith & Mighty, formed by Rob Smith and Ray Mighty in Bristol, England, emerged in 1987 as a electronic music group. Their early work included breakbeat tracks "Walk on By" and "Anyone Who Had a Heart", which blended sophisticated production with hip-hop elements. The duo's fusion of Burt Bacharach's compositions with contemporary beats anticipated the trip-hop genre's fascination with adult-pop from the late 1960s. Smith & Mighty produced hits like "Wishing on a Star" for Fresh 4 and signed with FFRR Records, aiming to replicate Soul II Soul’s crossover success. Their debut album, Bass Is Maternal, was initially rejected by their label but eventually released in 1995 under their own imprint, More Rockers. The duo also produced works for Marxman and released compilations like the DJ Kicks series and 1999's Big World, Small World, followed by a reissue of Bass Is Maternal in 2000. Notable tracks include "Remember Me" and collaborations such as "Rwanda" featuring Andy Scholes. Smith & Mighty's contributions helped define the Bristol sound, influencing artists like Massive Attack and Portishead. In 2002, they released the album Life Is... via Studio !K7.