Their first full-length album was released by Kranky in 1994. By their third full-length album, the eponymous release of 1996, Labradford began to infuse their music with sampled and real time percussion traces, at times faintly delving into actual syncopation.
By 1997, the group broadened and varied their sound with their fourth release. On "Mi Media Naranja", the group maintained their distinctive identity, adding a string section, Fender Rhodes electric piano and slide guitar to the trio's sound bank.
In 1998, member Mark Nelson's first full-length release as Pan American surfaced.
1999's release, "E luxo so" (Labradford's fifth) features contributions from a string quartet as well as a guest on dulcimer. Subtle blips of percussion and samples interweave through blurry guitars, bubbly electric piano and plangent organ and some gorgeous piano. Later that year, Labradford toured North America with godspeed you black emperor! and hosted their Festival of Drifting series alongside notables like Pole, Matmos and Papa M.
The
year 2000 saw the second full-length release from Pan American, this time
featuring guest performances by Rob Mazurek from Isotope/Chicago Underground
as well as Alan and Mimi from Low. It also featured Casey Rice behind
the mixing boards. Bobby Donne collaborated with Adam Wiltzie of Stars
of the Lid and the self-titled debut album from Aix Em Klemm was released.
In 2001, the band released their sixth album, "fixed::context,"
recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago and engineered by Steve Albini.
The new album found the trio stripping off the string trios of the last
two albumns and working with interlocking sound sources and modifiers;
Carter Brown's vintage synthesizers, organs and electric piano; the distinctive
Duane Eddy plays Satie guitar of Mark Nelson and Bobby Donne's four and
six string basses.
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