Being a quirky nine-piece co-ed band from Reykjavik, Iceland, GusGus were almost bound to inspire comparisons to the Sugarcubes, though a different decade caused the group to inherit the influences of electronic fuzz and trip-hop rhythms rather than the bout of post-punk lunacy that inspired the Sugarcubes during the late '80s. Formed as a cinema collective in early 1995 by filmmakers Stefán Árni and Siggi Kjartansson, the group was gradually expanded to include musicians such as DJ Herb Legowitz and programmer Biggi Thórarinsson, as well as singer/songwriters Daníel Ágúst, Hafdís Huld, and Magnús Jónsson (former actors all), cinematographer Steph, and producer Baldur Stefánsson. The band's decidedly indie sensibilities led to its signing by 4AD after a four-part series of dance mix EPs in 1996.