Sonic Animation
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Founder | Adrian Cartwright, Rupert Keiller, Steve Bertschik |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Fate | Reunited in 2011 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Adrian Cartwright, Rupert Keiller |
| Products | Dance and techno music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 2 (current members) |
Sonic Animation (styled as sonicanimation) is a Melbourne-based Australian dance and techno ensemble established in 1994 by Adrian Cartwright, who handled keyboards, drums, and programming, alongside Rupert Keiller, the lead vocalist and programmer. The group ceased activities in 2006 but reunited five years later in 2011. Their discography includes five studio albums: Silence Is Deafening (1997), Orchid for the Afterworld (1999), Reality by Deception (2002), Defective Perspective (2004), and Once More from the Bottom (2013).
1994–1998: Origins and Silence Is Deafening
In 1994, Sonic Animation was created in Melbourne by Steve Bertschik (DJ), Adrian Cartwright (drums, keyboards, programming), and Rupert Keiller, originally from Canada (lead vocals, programming). Before forming this group, Cartwright and Keiller collaborated in the rock band Scarlet Garden. Their partnership began while both were employed at a graphic design company.
Though initially uninterested in dance music, Cartwright’s perspective shifted after attending a rave with Keiller, where he appreciated its intricacies. Influenced by artists such as Underworld, they sought to merge vocal elements with electronic soundscapes. Their first single, "Time Is an Illusion," was launched on an independent label in 1995, followed by releases including "From Sand to Stars," Zero Zero Zero Zero One, and Force Feed.
May 1997 saw the release of their debut album, Silence Is Deafening, under Azwan Transmissions. The band independently wrote, produced, and engineered all tracks, initially utilizing a 386 computer for programming purposes. In 1998, Bertschik departed to explore other musical ventures. Following this change, Sonic Animation signed contracts with Global Recordings / Festival Mushroom Records / FIIDO.
1999–2005: Rise to Prominence
The single "Love Lies Bleeding" was issued in January 1999 and achieved a position within the top 50 of the ARIA Singles Chart. Jasper Lee from Oz Music Project praised it as a quintessential dance track emblematic of club culture. Although its lyrics touched on illicit substances—a point of initial concern for Keiller—this did not hinder its success. August 1999 brought the release of "Theophilus Thistler," which received extensive airplay on national broadcaster Triple J and featured an engaging video starring their mascots Robert Roley and Theophilus Thistler. This song entered the ARIA top 100 and secured the No. 18 spot in the Triple J Hottest 100, 1999 listener poll.
Their sophomore album, Orchid for the Afterworld, was released on 11 October 1999 through Global Records, reaching No. 42 on the ARIA Albums Chart and ultimately earning gold certification in 2005 for shipping over 35,000 units. Lee highlighted their live shows as dynamic events blending rave enthusiasm with energetic audiences.
Released on 4 February 2002, their third album Reality by Deception climbed to No. 22 on the ARIA Albums Chart and attained No. 6 on the ARIA Dance chart. This record reflected a transition towards trance-influenced tracks that resonated with their club origins. Singles from this period included "E-Ville" (October 2001), "I'm a DJ" (February 2002)—which ranked No. 74 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2002—and "Super Showbiz Star" (April 2002).
Their fourth album Defective Perspective, released on 9 February 2004, featured singles such as "This Is not a Love Poem," with lyrics penned by Philip Norton, and "Get Up." Leasa de Klerk of InTheMix commended the album's diverse styles and emphasized the group's adaptability.
Mid-2005 marked Sonic Animation’s announcement of their disbandment alongside the release of a compilation album titled Eleven (September 2005), which attained a top 25 position on the ARIA Dance Albums Chart. They supported this release with the Bugger Off tour and concluded their festival appearances at Australia's Big Day Out event in 2006.
2011–present: revival and Once More from the Bottom
In 2011, Cartwright and Keiller collaborated on a fresh Sonic Animation remix for the global music ensemble Delhi 2 Dublin, while also revealing plans to produce a new album.
After nearly six years, Sonic Animation unveiled their fifth studio release, Once More from the Bottom, in March 2013. Adam Barbuto of Reverb acknowledged the band's determined return, describing them as "back on course and aiming for those metropolitan spotlights." Simone Keenan from Rip It Up! praised notable songs such as "Punk on the Dance Floor" and "Take It from Me," which features Canadian singer Sexton Blake. The album explores a range of styles including dub, techno, funk, and house. Its single "I Will Be Twisted" was accompanied by a music video composed of fan-contributed clips from the 2012 Homebake festival.
Members
Current lineup of Sonic Animation:
- Adrian Cartwright
- Rupert Keiller
Past members include:
- 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)
Albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart position | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| Silence is Deafening |
|
— | |
| Orchid for the Afterworld |
|
42 |
|
| Reality by Deception |
|
22 | |
| Defective Perspective |
|
199 | |
| Once More from the Bottom |
|
— |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Eleven |
|
Extended plays
| Title | EP information |
|---|---|
| Zero Zero Zero Zero One |
|
| Force Feed |
|
| Silence Is Deafening 1 |
|
| Silence Is Deafening 2 |
|
| sonicanimation |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| "Time Is an Illusion" | 1995 | — | 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" | 2012 | — | One More from the Bottom |
| "Punk on the Dancefloor" | 2013 | — |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards celebrate outstanding achievements and creative contributions within the Australian music scene annually. Sonic Animation earned three nominations over the years:
| Year | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Love Lies Bleeding" | Best Dance Release | |
| 2000 | Orchid for the Afterworld | Best Dance Release | |
| Breakthrough Artist – Album |