Their sound was eclectic, drawing from reggae and soul influences (with covers of tracks by U-Roy and Augustus Pablo released as singles), beat-box driven hip-hop rhythms, blue-eyed soul, as well as a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic R&B, to dub and industrial.
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After a handful of singles, Colourbox's first full-length studio album - also self-titled - followed in August 1985, which further refined the band's diverse palette, mixing sample-splattered power-punk instrumentals with elegiac piano pieces ("Just Give 'em Whiskey" and "Sleepwalker" respectively), commercial pop ("The Moon Is Blue" and "Suspicion") and more reggae and soul covers (U-Roy's "Say You" and The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On").
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In 1986, the band issued two completely different singles simultaneously on the same day: one was an instrumental initially intended as a FIFAWorld Cup anthem of that year ("The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme"); the other, a cover of Jacob Miller's "Baby I Love You So," featured third member Lorita Grahame on vocals.