The Lab's Paul McDermott worked with a DJ, Tristan Mason, to develop an early electronic music group in Sydney, which included two bass guitarists.
[2] The Lab's early work was characterised by a dense, darkwave-industrial sensibility mixed with techno and synthpop elements with vocals provided by Factor and the operatically-trained mezzo-soprano Podolski.
By 1991 McDermott, as Paul Mac, had also formed an electronic, techno-dance duo Itch-E and Scratch-E with Andy Rantzen (of Pelican Daughters).
[1][5][6] Tom Ellard from Severed Heads helped produce an album during this era that was never released, and only a smattering of their darker material made its way on to the Ultra (November 1992) and Terminal (March 1994) extended plays.
[1] The Lab's live performances, mostly at Sydney inner-city venues the Annandale Hotel or the Phonecian Club, used multiple film and/or video projectors, displaying surreal footage and stills synchronised with songs being played.