They’ve been described as ‘chamber music meets chart pop’ and they’ve made us dance into 2014 with their unique blend of classical music and beats. As single ‘Rather Be’ holds on to the UK number 1 spot for the second week running, we tell you everything you need to know about music’s next big superstars, Clean Bandit.

Clean Bandit performing at Blissfield's festival last JulyClean Bandit performing at Blissfield's festival last July

Clean Bandit are comprised of brothers Jack and Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith. Jack met Grace and Milan whilst the three were studying at Jesus College in Cambridge University. Grace is a classically trained cellist who led a string quartet whilst at university.

The seeds were sown for Clean Bandit when Jack, Grace’s then boyfriend, decided to play about with a recording of her string quartet playing in King’s College Chapel. Jack took snippets of the strings and looped and layered them with strings and bass, thus creating the basis for Clean Bandit’s unique sound.

Jack’s brother Luke was then added on drums and another classically trained musician Milan Neil Amin-Smith was drafted in to play the violin. They first came to attention for the track ‘Mozart’s House’, which uses sections of Mozart’s’ String Quartet No 21’. This brought them to the attention of Radio 1 who soon got behind the group, who like to describe themselves as ‘electronic chamber music’.

The band are not only full of musical talent. Jack Patterson film at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, and has put his producing and editing skills to good use, taking care of all the group’s videos to date.

Grace Chatto, Clean Bandit's cellistGrace Chatto, Clean Bandit's cellist

As for the name, Chatto and Patterson spent some time living in Russia, where they must have picked up a few choice phrases. One such phrase, which meant ‘complete bastard’, is literally translated in English to Clean Bandit thus giving the group their interesting name.