Sonic Animation
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English
Template:ForTemplate:Infobox musical artist Sonic Animation (stylised as sonicanimation) are an Australian dance and techno musical group which was formed by Adrian Cartwright on keyboards, drums and programming and Rupert Keiller on lead vocals and programming in 1994. The group disbanded in 2006 and then reformed in 2011. Altogether, they have released five studio albums, Silence Is Deafening (May 1997), Orchid for the Afterworld (October 1999), Reality by Deception (2002), Defective Perspective (2004) and Once More from the Bottom (March 2013).
History
1994–1998: Formation and Silence Is Deafening
Sonic Animation were formed in Melbourne by Steve Bertschik as a DJ, Adrian Cartwright on drums, keyboards and programming and Canadian-born Rupert Keiller on lead vocals and programming in 1994.<ref name="Wesolowski">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Cyclone">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Tripod Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> Cartwright on drums and Keiller on vocals were both members of Scarlet Garden, a rock group formed in the early 1990s in Geelong.<ref name="Cyclone"/><ref name="Bakker"/> The pair had met as employees at a local graphic design business.<ref name="Bakker">Template:Cite web</ref>
Cartwright recalled "I absolutely hated dance music ... But Rupert took me to a rave, and that was it for me. I'd always thought that dance music was so minimalist and easy, but when you get into it it's actually quite intricate and complex. I loved that. And then when we heard what Underworld were doing with vocals, we wanted to do that, too."<ref name="Bakker"/> In 1995 Sonic Animation released their debut single, "Time Is an Illusion", on a self-funded independent label.<ref name="Cyclone"/><ref name="J Play Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> They followed with "From Sand to Stars", Zero Zero Zero Zero One and Force Feed.<ref name="Tripod Bio"/><ref name="AMO Force">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Their debut studio album, Silence Is Deafening, was issued on Azwan Transmissions in May 1997.<ref name="Oz Mus Proj Bio">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> All the tracks were written, produced and engineered by Sonic Animation. At that time they were using a 386 computer for programming.<ref name="Interview 2002">Template:Cite news</ref> In March 2002 Keiller recalled how "people would yell out 'nice one 386!', cos you know, we didn't really do anything, it was all just the computer. There are still some people that hold that view but we don't see it as much because of the kind of shows we play these, days."<ref name="Interview 2002"/> Bertschik left the group in 1998 to "pursue his own musical interests."<ref name="Oz Mus Proj Bio"/> The band signed with a new label: Global Recordings / Festival / FIIDO.<ref name="Oz Mus Proj Bio"/>
1999–2005: Commercial success
In January 1999 the group issued a single, "Love Lies Bleeding", which reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 50.<ref name="AUS Charts">Peaks in Australia:
- All except noted: Template:Cite web
- Peaks below 50: Template:Cite Ryan</ref> Jasper Lee of Oz Music Project felt that it "builds up into full blown dance goodness with no doubt an anthem to club culture with the main vocal".<ref name="Lee"/> Its lyrics contain a reference to illegal drugs, "I feel ecstasy".<ref name="Lee">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> This initially concerned Keiller "I used to be worried about that sort of stuff — I don't know why — but nothing so far has happened."<ref name="Interview 2002"/> "Theophilus Thistler" was released as a single in August 1999, which received high rotation on national radio station, Triple J,<ref name="Hot 100 99">Template:Cite web</ref> its popularity was assisted by the track's associated music video.<ref name="Theophilus">Template:Cite web</ref> The video featured their two mascots, or TechoTubbies, dubbed Robert Roley and Theophilus Thistler.<ref name="Cyclone"/> At live performances the mascots' suits are worn by two fans selected by the band via their web site.<ref name="Interview 2002"/> "Theophilus Thistler" appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart top 100 and was listed at No. 18 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1999, in a listeners poll.<ref name="Hot 100 99"/>
The group's second studio album, Orchid for the Afterworld, was issued on 11 October 1999 on Global Records which peaked at No. 42 on the ARIA Albums Chart.<ref name="AUS Charts"/> In 2005 the album was certified gold for shipment of 35,000 copies by ARIA.<ref name="ARIA Cert 2005 A">Template:Cite certification</ref> Lee attended their gig in April 2000 at Macquarie University, he noticed "a weird mix of a rave and a mosh, with those up the front of the crowd firmly squashed in against the foldback speakers. Nonetheless everyone was having a great time, and enjoyed what Sonic Animation had to offer."<ref name="Lee 2">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Sonic Animation's third studio album, Reality by Deception, was released on 4 February 2002, which peaked at No. 22 on the ARIA Albums Chart and No. 6 on the ARIA Dance chart.<ref name="AUS Charts"/><ref name="ARIA Report 624">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Lee felt the album "pares back the more commercially-friendly vocals... in favour of more straight trance-light tracks more akin to their clubbing roots... [They] have flowed with a different aim in mind that has seen a decent, although not terribly inspiring release."<ref name="Lee 3">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> It provided the singles, "E-Ville" (October 2001), "I'm a DJ" (February 2002)<ref name="AUS Charts"/> and "Super Showbiz Star" (April 2002).<ref name="Lee 3"/> "I'm a DJ" was listed at No. 74 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2002.<ref name="Hot 100 02">Template:Cite web</ref>
Sonic Animation's fourth studio album, Defective Perspective was released on 9 February 2004, which provided the singles, "This Is not a Love Poem" and "Get Up".<ref name="NLA Defect">Template:Citation</ref><ref name="AMO Defect">Template:Cite web</ref> "This Is not a Love Poem" was based on lyrics by Philip Norton.<ref name="Norton Poem">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Leasa de Klerk of InTheMix felt that the two CDs provided a "sheer variety of styles and sounds that are on the album. The guys are really showing their flexibility in their Template:Sic offering."<ref name="Klerk">Template:Cite news</ref>
Sonic Animation announced their break-up in mid-2005 with the release of compilation album, Eleven (September 2005), which appeared on the ARIA Dance Albums Chart top 25.<ref name="ARIA Report 810">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> It was followed by the Bugger Off tour. They made their last festival appearance at the Big Day Out in 2006 (Australian shows only).
2011–present: reformation and Once More from the Bottom
In 2011 Cartwright and Keiller revealed a new Sonic Animation remix for world music outfit, Delhi 2 Dublin. They announced that they were back in the studio recording their next album.<ref>Sonic Animation re-forms for new album Template:Webarchive</ref>
In March 2013, after an almost six-year hiatus, Sonic Animation released their fifth studio album, Once More from the Bottom. Adam Barbuto of Reverb noticed that "you get the feeling the lads from Sonic Animation have thrown their all into these songs and take this comeback super seriously. To somewhat refute any lack of confidence buyers may have had in the naming of the album, Once More from the Bottom, I can safely say SonicAnimation are anywhere near it. In fact I'd say they are back on track and heading for those big city lights."<ref name="Barbuto">Template:Cite news</ref> Rip It Up!Template:'s Simone Keenan felt that "Although there's plenty of odd-ball tracks ... there is some quality too like the hip hop/dubstep 'Punk on the Dance Floor' (which sounds better than the title may suggest) and 'Take It from Me' which features guest vocals from Canadian songstress Sexton Blake. Dub, techno, funk, house... You'll find all of it on here."<ref name="Keenan">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The album provided the single, "I Will Be Twisted"; its music video was created with fan-submitted footage taken on cell phones at the 2012 Homebake festival.
Members
Sonic animation are:
- Adrian Cartwright
- Rupert Keiller
with:
- Steve Bertschik (circa 1994–1998)
- Mark Saul (circa 1999–2001)
- Richard Falkner (circa 2002–2004)
- Erica Mclean (circa 2004–2006)
- Sexton Blake aka Nadine Tremblay (circa 2012–2013)
Discography
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS <ref name="AUS Charts"/><ref name="ARIA Chart">Template:Cite web N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.</ref> | |||
| Silence is Deafening |
|
— | |
| Orchid for the Afterworld |
|
42 |
|
| Reality by Deception |
|
22 | |
| Defective Perspective |
|
199 | |
| Once More from the Bottom |
|
— |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Eleven |
|
Extended plays
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Zero Zero Zero Zero One |
|
| Force Feed |
|
| Silence Is Deafening 1 |
|
| Silence Is Deafening 2 |
|
| sonicanimation |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS <ref name="AUS Charts"/><ref name="ARIA Chart"/> | |||
| "Time Is an Illusion" | 1995 | — | rowspan="2" Template:Non-album singles |
| "From Sand to Stars" | — | ||
| "Love Lies Bleeding" | 1999 | 50 | Orchid for the Afterworld |
| "Theophilus Thistler (An Exercise in Vowels)" | 86 | ||
| "Didley Squat" | 2000 | 114 | |
| "I'm Afraid I Think I'm Human" | 133 | ||
| "E-Ville" | 2001 | 73 | Reality by Deception |
| "I'm a DJ" | 2002 | 86 | |
| "Super Showbiz Star" | 142 | ||
| "Freaky Highway" | 2003 | — | Defective Perspective |
| "This Is Not a Love Poem" | 2004 | — | |
| "Get Up" | |||
| "Will You Dance to This Song" | 2011 | — | sonicanimation |
| "(Hey Lady) I Just Wanna Dance"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2012 | — | One More from the Bottom |
| "Punk on the Dancefloor"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 2013 | — |
Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Sonic Animation has been nominated for three awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Awards table |- | 1999 | "Love Lies Bleeding" | Best Dance Release | Template:Nom |- | rowspan="2"| 2000 | rowspan="2"| Orchid for the Afterworld | Best Dance Release | Template:Nom |- | Breakthrough Artist – Album | Template:Nom |- Template:End