Music like International Observer

International Observer is a New Zealand band formed by Tom Bailey, musician and ex-lead singer of the British band the Thompson Twins, which rose to fame during the 1980s. Its debut album, Seen, featured Māori visual artist Rakai Karaitiana as part of the project.

Following from the ashes of both the Thompson Twins and subsequent group Babble, Bailey had taken to producing the New Zealand band Stellar* while still residing in the country (Bailey would subsequently move back to Europe in 2005). The success of this collaboration allowed him to focus on his own music, which had moved into the world of dub music, or chill music, as it is sometimes referred to in New Zealand.

The initial venture into the public consciousness was through playing festivals in New Zealand. The success of his two-hour sets allowed Bailey to build a following for International Observer. When time came to compile a studio recording, there were enough pieces to complete a boxed set. The debut release was Seen, which was released initially on the project's own IO Audio label. However, when the album emerged in the UK, the Birmingham-based dub label Different Drummer took on the task of distributing the album. After the release of the debut album, and prior to Bailey's relocation to Europe, Karaitiana left the project.