Global Goon is a former British programmer from Lydiate, England who earned a recording contract with Rephlex Records before moving to London and being Richard D. James' (aka Aphex Twin)'s housemate. He had been making electronic music using SoundEdit 16 while supporting himself with various programming jobs. After moving into a shared house with James, Tom Jenkinson, Chris Jeffs and Grant Wilson-Claridge, he released his first album Goon on Rephlex in 1996. Rumors that Goon actually was an alias for Aphex Twin persisted even after the release of Cradle of History two years later. After releasing Vatican Nitez four years later, he left the Rephlex label and started his own label J-HOK records, which he released three albums on. He also released one album on Audio Dregs, and two albums and one EP on WéMè.
Global Goon has also been rumored to have released five acid records under the alias Syntheme on both Planet Mu and WéMè between 2007 and 2009, but this remains unconfirmed and Syntheme is also known as Louise Helena Wood, from Brighton, England.
Music critics have characterized Global Goon's style as ambient music and "easy listening fusion". From Bessemer Cocktail and after, his music took a turn towards acid house rather than the easy listening downtempo.