Former Light of the World bandmates Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick and Paul "Tubs" Williams came together to make Incognito in the U.K. Bluey had been in bands since he was young, starting with New Life with David Grant. Tubs joined Light of the World when he was only 14-years-old. They recorded and released the single "Parisienne Girl" in 1981, which also brought them a record deal with Ensign. The duo's roots were firmly planted in jazz and funk music, leading to the title of their 1981 debut album Jazz Funk. The release included many talented musicians like Jamaican trombonist Vin Gordon, saxophonist George Lee and drummer Jeff Dunn.

While the first release was well received, the band went into obscurity for about a decade before releasing Inside Life in 1991 and Tribes Vibes & Scribes in 1992. Vocalist Maysa Leaks joined the group and gave the sound a needed boost. The album found critical and commercial success with singles like Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry ‘Bout a Thing." They started releasing albums furiously and dropped Positivity, 100 Degrees & Rising, Beneath the Surface, Last Night in Tokyo and No Time Like the Future all before the decade was over. Positivity was the band's most successful album to date. A few albums were made without Leak because she decided to pursue a solo career, but ended up eventually returning to the group.

They remixed their 1999 album in 2000 and released Future Remixed. It was followed by Life Stranger Than Fiction in 2001, Who Needs Love as well as a remix in 2003, One Nation in 2003, Adventures in Black Sunshine in 2004, 25th Chapter in 2005 and Eleven in 2006. Their two latest releases, Bees + Flowers + Things (2006) and Tales from the Beach (2008) produced even more success for the group as they continue to push the boundaries.