1992 was a busy year, and a year of changes for 4AD - the most important of which was the signing of a distribution deal with Warner Brothers Records in the United States. Rather than license individual acts to different labels in the States - as had been the case up to this point - the deal was designed to give 4AD the continuity and label identity in America that it had everywhere else in the world. The small U.S. 4AD office that had been in New York City was closed, and 4AD's U.S. operations moved to Los Angeles under the direction of Robin Hurley (Ivo moved to California a few years later). To celebrate the Warner Brothers deal, 4AD issued an elaborate promotional package called Lilliput, which featured two CDs - the first highlighting notable previous releases, the second providing an overview of the label's current roster - which were housed in an illustrated hard cover book.
Lush's much-anticipated first album, Spooky (CAD 2002), was a worldwide success. The band, coming into their own as musicians and as songwriters, worked once again with Robin Guthrie, who'd produced the Mad Love EP. The For Love EP (BAD 2001), released before the album, featured three tracks unavailable elsewhere, including a cover of Wire's "Outdoor Miner."
The Breeders - now joined by Kim Deal's twin sister Kelley - returned to action with the four-song Safari EP (BAD 2003). Produced by Laika's Guy Fixsen, it featured three new Kim Deal original compositions, and a version of "So Sad About Us" by The Who.
Pale Saints continued the collaboration with producer Hugh Jones that had begun on Flesh Balloon with their second album, In Ribbons (CAD 2004) - probably their finest release. The initial quantities of the album included an unusual 7-inch single which contained two of the group's songs - "A Thousand Stars Burst Open" and "A Revelation" - as performed by the Tintwhistle Brass Band. The album's powerful opening track, "Throwing Back The Apple" was issued as a single (BAD 2008). And if the album's title hinted at internal tensions, the hint was confirmed a few months later when co-frontman Ian Masters decided to quit the band.
Warren Defever returned with a new five-song His Name Is Alive EP, The Dirt Eaters (BAD 2005). In addition to re-emphasising Defever's gift for conjuring up spectral melodies, the record also spotlighted his eccentric taste in cover versions : its central track was a thoroughly Defeverized version of Ritchie Blackmore's "Man On The Silver Mountain".
After the career high of Queer, The Wolfgang Press were on a creative roll. They unleashed a new single - "A Girl Like You" (BAD 2006) - that very nearly became a hit. Bizarre proof of the song's wide appeal arrived when Tom Jones recorded his own version the following year; he wound up performing it onstage with the group at a memorable 1994 show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.
Michael Brook - inventor of the "infinite guitar" and a noted producer - had been acquainted with Ivo for several years (his first 4AD appearance had been on Sleeps With The Fishes, a 1987 collaboration with Xymox's Pieter Nooten). Cobalt Blue (CAD 2007) was a quietly stunning collection of instrumental pieces, featuring contributions from Roger Eno, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. At a press launch for the album held at the London Aquarium, Brook played a rare solo live set, which was ultimately issued as Live At the Aquarium (TAD 2011), the first in 4AD's occasional series of limited-edition "Temporary Releases."