Mono

Mono were a London trip hop duo of vocalist Siobhan de Mare and keyboardist/producer Martin Virgo, who met in 1996 and built a sound around 1960s spy-film soundtracks and orchestral pop that stood apart from the darker trip hop of the era. 'The Outsider,' from their only album Formica Blues (1997), is built around a hammered dulcimer part played by Geoff Smith, a distinctive touch for the genre. Their song 'Life in Mono' later became the most-requested track on US radio stations after appearing in the 1998 film Great Expectations, pushing the band to a #70 Billboard Hot 100 placement and their only tour, 21 dates across North America and Europe. De Mare is the daughter of Shadows drummer Tony Meehan and Virgo trained classically at London's Guildhall School of Music. After Mono split in 2000, de Mare joined Violet Indiana and Virgo moved into film and television composing.

From the notes for Episode 05 · fact-checked Sep 23, 2026.