Cowley is known as one of the pioneers of disco in the 1970s, particularly the hi-NRG strain. This material was written and recorded with vocalist (and frequent collaborator) Jorge Socarras in San Francisco between 1975 and 1977, before the latter went to London and Cowley started a gig playing synthesizers for Sylvester. The two artists reconvened in 1979 and re-recorded some of the material, eventually sending an album to Megatone Records who ultimately decided not to sign it.