Lush

Lush formed in London in 1987, Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson at the centre of a band that would spend the next decade making some of the most beautiful guitar music of the era. Signed to 4AD Records — the label that had also signed Cocteau Twins and Pixies — they developed a sound that was simultaneously noisy and melodic, Berenyi's distinctive vocals floating above layers of distorted guitar.

'Spooky' (1992) was the breakthrough — produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, it was a record of extraordinary atmosphere and beauty. 'Nothing Natural', 'Superblast!', and 'For Love' were all excellent. 'Split' (1994) was even better — more varied and more confident, it showed a band who had fully mastered their sound. 'Hypocrite' and 'Desire Lines' were among the finest songs of the year.

The Britpop pivot on 'Lovelife' (1996) divided opinion — 'Single Girl' and '500' were more straightforwardly pop than anything they had done before. The album reached number eight. But the death of drummer Chris Acland in 1996 was a devastating blow, and the band split shortly after. They reformed in 2015 and have continued to tour and record. 'Blind Spot' (2016) was a strong comeback EP.