Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Richard Warren is the driving force behind Echoboy, a psychedelic electronic project influenced by Bob Dylan, Television, Kraftwerk and the Chemical Brothers. The Nottingham, England native was also the singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Hybirds, who disbanded soon after their critically-acclaimed self-titled debut album was released in 1998. During the group's dissolution, Warren began working on Echoboy material and even handed out copies of the first single, Flashlegs, at the Hybirds' final gigs. Later that year Warren released the debut album Echoboy on his own Point Blank imprint and released singles in conjunction with Earworm Records and Rough Trade before signing a deal with Mute Records, who released the EP Frances Says the Knife Is Alive in 1999 and the second full-length, Volume 1, in 2000. Shortly after the album's release, Echoboy went on tour with the Doves and Elastica and performed at that year's Sonar Festival in Spain. The full-length Volume 2 followed shortly thereafter in late 2000. Echoboy's third album Giraffe arrived in early 2003 and won critical acclaim for its darkly poppy electronic sound; that year's Lately Lonely EP continued in this new direction. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide