Brixton, London, England

Equally admired by jazz fans and drum'n'bass DJs, Charles James Casey and Damian John Hand recorded several of the most diverse EPs for the nominally trip-hop/big-beat Wall of Sound Records. Based in Brixton, the duo debuted in early 1995 with the EP Jazadelica, the third release on Wall of Sound. The EP earned much praise, earning Akasha a spot at 1995's Glastonbury Festival. There, Casey and Hand unveiled their onstage incarnation, a nine-piece band with several accomplished musicians. In 1998 they released two remix EPs, and a year later the full-length album, Cinematique followed. ~ John Bush