Extra Virgin

Purveyors of a judicious blend of hip hop production, synth-based electronica and pop songwriting, Olive were formed by former Durutti Column and Simply Red multi-instrumentalist Tim Kellett, singer Ruth-Ann Boyle and beat-master Robin Taylor-Firth, best known for his work with Nightmares on Wax. They enjoyed a monster hit in 1997 with the irresistible drum and bass floater 'You're Not Alone'. The Ivor Novello award winning chart-topper was taken from their accomplished debut album, Extra Virgin, which had been issued the previous year and is now being celebrated on it's 30th anniversary with, naturally, an olive-coloured reissue featuring audio remastered from the original tape sources at AIR Studios by Kellett and Henry Rudkins. America's biggest weekly entertainment magazine, People, described the album as "a bittersweet delight," with particular praise for Ruth-Ann's honied vocals, and it's hard to argue as they beautifully offset the icy production and sometimes dark subject matter of the songs.