Cisco Ferreira and Colin McBean are the Advent. Before the duo began shaking up the techno music scene, they both had their own separate careers. Ferreira kicked off his techno career working as an engineer at Jack Trax Records, where he was able to get a first-hand look at the work of revolutionary artists like Marshall Jefferson and Derrick May. In 1988 Ferreira began recording with C.J. Bolland as a duo called Space Opera. The pair released four singles for R&S Records and he also recorded his first solo single, "Why Don't You Answer," for Fragile. McBean was a top DJ prior to joining forces with Ferreira, working with Keith Franklin of Bang Party as the DJ team KCC.

In 1990 Ferreira and McBean started their first project together, working on an engineering job for Fade to Black (aka Jay Denham). The pair then released their first single on vinyl, recorded for inclusion on a sample by Network Records before recording their official debut, which came in 1994 under the official moniker the Advent. Ferreira signed to Internal Records (also home to Orbital) just prior to the release and in 1995 the Elements of Life LP dropped after McBean joined Ferreira to record a string of very limited singles.

Two years after their official debut, Elements of Life, was released, the Advent issued their proper sophomore effort A New Beginning. Sadly, Internal Records let the pair go shortly after its release and they moved to the Metalbox division of Northwest/BMG. In 1998 the Advent released Kombination Phunk, which included a handful of original productions dispersed within remixes. McBean left the Advent in 1999 due to their rampant touring schedule but continued to record under his solo alias, G Flame and Mr. G. Ferreira stepped out solo as well, releasing a 12" series called Sound Sketch for Tresor during 1998-2000, followed by the LP Sketched for Life (2002) and Light Years Away (2003).