James Ford and James Shaw got their start in Simian, who together with Justice, penned one of the biggest hits of the indie-dance era. As Simian Mobile Disco, the duo dove headfirst into deeper strains of techno and electro with 2007's Attack Decay Sustain Release and 2009's Temporary Pleasures, which featured Gossip's Beth Ditto and Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor. Over the years, they've focused increasingly on the possibilities of modular synthesizers, both in the studio and on stage. Following the tour album Live, they recorded Whorl at an intimate California gig.