[1] Thou released its first EP Une Poupee Pour M'amuser in 1997, which was followed by the debut album, Hello in This Sun, in 1998.
The album featured contributions from violinist Richard Hunt, Roni Size bass guitarist Si John, and Belgian musician Mauro Pawlowski, as well as PJ Harvey contributor John Parish.
[2] The band's style has been described as dreamy, "dramatic pop with post-trip-hop beats"[1] and has been compared to those of Portishead, T. Rex and early Yo La Tengo.
[3] Allmusic critic Thom Jurek observed that the band's music touches "everything from trip-hop, cheesy French pop, St. Etienne, and Stereolab."
Jurek also noted the influence of "early Prince, Soundgarden and the lilting dainty pop of the Boo Radleys" on the album.