Londinium & Take My Head (1994–1999)

Archive was formed in 1994 as a trip-hop band when Darius Keeler and Danny Griffiths formed up with Roya Arab and rapper Rosko John.^[3] After releasing a few singles on their own label, they broke up in early 1996 following a dispute. A few months later, the group reformed with new personnel and began recording their debut album. Londinium was released on Island Records in September 1996. The album featured a mix of dark trip hop, electronica, string arrangements and classically influenced songwriting. However, creative differences on the follow-up resulted in the band once again breaking up.

In 1997, Keeler and Griffiths regrouped and continued Archive with another female singer, Suzanne Wooder. In 1999, Archive released their second studio album on Independiente, entitled Take My Head. The album features a mix of pop and symphonic trip hop, far more melodic than its predecessor. Due to differences of musical taste with an undisclosed number of producers the band tried to work with on the album, they have described it as their least favorite album the band recorded.

Craig Walker era (2000–2004)

In 2000, Keeler and Griffiths began to demo new tracks for further studio production. After establishing a new sound to work with, the boys placed an advert in Mojo magazine, looking for a new lead singer. Craig Walker answered the advert and immediately began working with the band and singing on the tune that Darius wrote, entitled, "Again".

Between 2002 and 2005, the band released three studio albums with Walker to further growing popularity and critical acclaim. "You All Look The Same To Me" (2002), "Noise" (2004), and "Michel Vaillant" were albums that marked a turning point of the Archive sound that gradually turned away from their roots in electronica and trip hop and towards more of a psychedelic and progressive style. One of the three composed albums was the soundtrack to the French film Michel Vaillant, released in November 2003. In winter of 2014, teaser music from the band's upcoming album was used for a TV advertisement for Meetic.^[4]

In November 2004, Archive began their European tour without Walker, posting on their website that Walker would not be joining the band as he has left Archive due to personal differences.

Collective phase (2004–present)

In Autumn of 2004, Archive announced that Dave Pen (BirdPen) would replace Walker on the Noise tour. During this same tour, Keeler and Griffiths met the singer Pollard Berrier (formerly of the band Bauchklang) at one of their shows in Vienna, Austria. Pollard had given Darius a demo CD of his own written material, with the intention of starting another project with Dan and Darius. Because of the latter circumstances, the three began writing and rehearsing together, and were recording in Southside Studios, London, by September 2005. A new modern era for Archive had begun with Darius, Dan and Pollard all writing and co-writing seven tracks and Dave Pen co-writing three, on the album, "Lights". Maria Q sang on three (including backing) tracks. From this point on, Archive was no longer a "front-man-band", but a "collective" of individual artists contributing to what is now an established sound. The album "Lights" was released in May 2006 and received high critical acclaim in France, Switzerland, Greece and Poland. Archive enjoyed predominantly sold-out gigs on their "Lights" Tour, as well as high acclaim at festivals around Europe.

In May 2009, Archive returned to release their most acclaimed album to date, "Controlling Crowds I-III". It reached number one in the French charts for a week, number one in Greece, number two in Switzerland and number 5 in Luxembourg. The single, "Bullets", was their most acclaimed single to date and reached the charts in Greece, Poland, Switzerland, France, and Germany. It has also been featured in the teaser trailer for Cyberpunk 2077. The biggest surprise of this album was the return of Rosko John, who adds an unforeseen depth to the seventh studio album. In September 2009, the follow-up album "Controlling Crowds: Part IV" was released, along with single "The Empty Bottle". Archive continued their "Controlling Crowds" tour, having already sold out some fifty concerts from September 2009 - February 2010, up to and extensively for the 2010 Summer Festival Season.

Band members

• Darius Keeler - keyboards, synthesizer, piano, organ, programming, arrangements, production
• Danny Griffiths - keyboards, samples, additional programming, arrangements, production
• Pollard Berrier - vocals, guitar
• Maria "Q" Quintile - vocals
• Holly Martin - vocals
• Lisa Mottram - vocals
• Dave Pen - vocals, guitar, percussion
• Mike Hurcombe - guitar
• Jonathan Noyce - bass
• Steve "Smiley" Barnard - drums

Former members

• Rosko John - songwriting, vocals, MC
• Craig Walker - songwriting, vocals, guitar
• Steve Harris - guitar, backing vocals
• Matheu Martin - drums
• Suzanne Wooder - vocals
• Roya Arab - songwriting and vocals
• Lee Pomeroy - bass, mellotron
• Dale Davis - bass
• Tom Brazelle - harmonica

Studio albums

• Londinium (1996)
• Take My Head (1999)
• You All Look the Same to Me (2002)
• Noise (2004)
• Lights (2006)
• Controlling Crowds (2009)
• Controlling Crowds – Part IV (2009)
• With Us Until You're Dead (2012)
• Axiom (2014)
• Restriction (2015)
• The False Foundation (2016)
• Call to Arms and Angels (2022)

Soundtracks

• Michel Vaillant by Archive (soundtrack from Michel Vaillant) (2003)

Compilations

• Controlling Crowds – The Complete Edition Parts I–IV (2009)
• Demos and Tracks from the Archives (2010)
• Demos and Tracks from the Archives 2 (2012)
• 25 (2019)

Live albums

• Live at Paris/France Inter (2002)
• Unplugged (2004)
• Live for 3 nights at Les Nuits Botaniques Festival - Brussels May 2005 (2005, promo)
• Live at the Zenith (2007)
• Live at La Géode (only sold by French FNAC) (2010)
• Live 2010 Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 17th January 2010 (only sold by ConcertLive.co.uk) (2010)
• Live 2010 Le Zenith, Paris 23rd January 2010 (only sold by ConcertLive.co.uk) (2010)

Live DVD

• Live at the Zenith (deluxe package) (2007)
• Live in Athens (sold at PledgeMusic.com) (2011)

Remix albums

• Unrestricted (2015)
• Versions (2020)

EPs

• The Absurd EP (2002)
• Pieces B Sides (2006)
• Wiped Out / Violently EP (2012)
• Live EP (2013)
• Restriction Outtakes EP (2015)

Singles

Londinium

• "Londinium" (1996)
• "So Few Words" (1996)
• "Nothing Else" (1996)

Take My Head

• "You Make Me Feel" (1999)
• "The Way You Love Me" (1999)
• "Take My Head" (1999, promo)
• "Cloud in the Sky" (2000)

You All Look The Same to Me

• "Again" (2001/2002)
• "Numb" (2002)
• "Goodbye" (2002, promo)
• "Men Like You / Meon" (2003)

Michel Vaillant

• "Friend" (2003)
• "Main Bridge Scene" (2003)

Noise

• "Get Out" (2004)
• "Fuck U" (2004, promo)
• "Sleep" (2004, promo)

Lights

• "System" (2006, promo)
• "Fold" (2006, promo)
• "Sane" (2006, promo)

Controlling Crowds (Parts I-III)

• "Bullets" (2009)
• "Kings of Speed" (2009, promo)
• "Collapse/Collide" (2009)

Controlling Crowds – Part IV

• "The Empty Bottle" (2009)
• "Lines" (2009, promo)

With Us Until You're Dead

• "Violently" (2012, promo)
• "Wiped Out" (2012)
• "Hatchet" (2012)
• "Stick Me In My Heart" (2013)

Axiom

• "Distorted Angels" (2014)
• "Axiom" (2014)

Restriction

• "Black & Blue" (2014)
• "Feel It" (2014)
• "Kid Corner" (2014)
• "End of Our Days" (2015)

The False Foundation

• "Driving In Nails" (2016)
• "Bright Lights" (2016)
• "The False Foundation" (2016)
• "Versions" (2020)

Call To Arms and Angels

• "Super8" (2021)
• "Shouting Within" (2021)
• "Daytime Coma" (2021)