Mandy and Howard initially met in 2001 as part of the seminal Manchester act Homelife, with Mandy standing in for the renowned Graham Massey on synths, and with Howard on percussion and horns. The Architects were to cross paths again in 2015, when Mandy invited Howard to combine forces on a commission for Delia Derbyshire day. So began a dynamic partnership, with a sound foundation of experimentation and inquiry.

AoR have since undertaken a succession of multimedia projects which reflect their musical dexterity and artistic affinity. The process is largely organic and builds slowly. By exploring connections to the environment and creating powerful soundscapes, the aim is to apply musical skill to summon new harmonies and reorganize familiar textures. Prolonged hunting and gathering for scrapyard technology has resulted in the creation of Consequence instruments - the principle being: a series of sounds physically triggering each other sequentially. 

Using found sounds and tone sets, AoR reveal unspoken stories which can inhabit a place in time or a physical structure. They have developed an interest in reciting these stories with a shared focus on the female psyche.

Originally inspired by electronic innovators Delia Derbyshire, Susan Ciani, Brian Eno and musique concrète artists, AoR admire the pioneer spirit wherever it is found.

The indelible imagery of the surrealist Leonora Carrington, filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, and the iconic work of Kate Bush have all had a lasting influence. While cultivating their distinctive voice, the spacious atmospheres drawn by soundtrack artists Morricone, Vangelis and John Barry had a big impact, along with progressive musicians Goblin, whose original horror film scores provided the stimulation to experiment with brooding, ominous expressions. 

Informed by a diverse range of musical artists, from the arresting noise and grime of The Bug to the fascinating synaesthesia and birdsong compositions of Olivier Messiaen, AoR continue to attune to a related phenomenological approach.

Touring and voyaging have brought powerful musics from other lands into the mix. AoR have found themselves amongst the rumberos and Santeros of Afro-Cuba culture in Havana, and in Istanbul absorbing the mysteries of Turkish music, and the symbolism of the baglama/saz with it's 'Asik' minstrel proponents.

AoR also seek out the wilderness and find opportunities to experience elemental vibrations and remote sounds. They shape and explore sound playfully but with intensity. The music resonates with intangible tension, echoing the fragile voice of existence. It records a disordered chapter in time and acknowledges life in all its immensity.