Starless & Bible Black are a Manchester band drawing musical lines between torch song, bluesy chanson, vintage folk-jazz and early electronic music. Built around the three core members of Hélène Gautier; Peter Philipson; and Raz Ullah, the band have played a succession of shows around the UK both as a stripped down three piece and as a six piece with Paul Blakesley, Brian Edwards and Ros Hawley (clarinet).

After releasing their first EP on their own Timbreland Recordings label, the band was spotted by Chicago based label Locust Music and they agreed an album deal in early 2006.

While some may assume that their name is taken from the 1974 King Crimson album, it is actually inspired by the classic 1965 recording by Stan Tracey that in turn is lifted from a line in Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood.