Formed in Auckland in 1999, they consist of frontwoman Victoria Girling-Butcher on vocals, guitars, and keys, Marcus Lawson on backing vocals, bass, and keys, and Derek Metivier on drums and loops. They created their own independent label, Lupin Music, to release their first album, Running Down the Keys, in 2002. The followed this with another independent release, All Moments Leading to This, two years later. It reached number two on the New Zealand independent music chart.

For their 2007 release, Dawn Planes, they sought advice on song arrangements from singer/songwriter Dave Dobbyn, known for his song "Slice of Heaven," which was used so heavily in New Zealand's tourism advertisements that for a time it was as synonymous with the country as its national anthem. The album was produced by David Long, who composed music for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. The album was released through EMI, who also re-released the band's earlier albums. ~ Jody Macgregor