Jump to content

Amon Tobin: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Slowacki (talk | contribs)
33 edits
photo update..hate the licensing system as it's insane
Line 31: Line 31:


==Live Shows==
==Live Shows==
[[Image:Amon Tobin Ososphère 29-09-2006.jpg|thumb|100px|Amon Tobin at the 2006 Ososphère festival, in [[Strasbourg]]]]
[[Image:Amon tobin luxemburg.jpg|thumb|300px|Amon Tobin before his 7.1 Surround Sound DJ set at Rotonde 2 in Luxembourg City, 8th December 2007]]
In his live shows, Tobin is mostly concerned about the sonic experience rather than the stage performance.<ref>Current TV interview</ref> Thus he uses a 7.1 surround system, which works only indoors. By layering different textures to the respective channels, he makes his records sound superior to the ones on the albums.<ref>Current TV interview</ref>
In his live shows, Tobin is mostly concerned about the sonic experience rather than the stage performance.<ref>Current TV interview</ref> Thus he uses a 7.1 surround system, which works only indoors. By layering different textures to the respective channels, he makes his records sound superior to the ones on the albums.<ref>Current TV interview</ref>
His typical set list, apart from the enhanced versions of his album tracks, involves remixed third-party tracks that were the source of inspiration for the newest album. He is fond of Boxcutter, Spankrock, Noisia, Mayhem and Upbeats. Also the latest unreleased tracks can be presented on special occasions.
His typical set list, apart from the enhanced versions of his album tracks, involves remixed third-party tracks that were the source of inspiration for the newest album. He is fond of Boxcutter, Spankrock, Noisia, Mayhem and Upbeats. Also the latest unreleased tracks can be presented on special occasions.

Revision as of 12:21, 6 February 2008

Amon Tobin

Amon Tobin is a Montreal based Brazilian musician, DJ, and producer of distinctive sample-based music comprised of elements of Breakbeat, Drum and Bass, Trip hop, Hip-hop, Ambient, Blues, Samba and Jazz. According to Mary Anne Hobbs no one on the face of this planet achieved sonically what he is doing.[1]

Biography

Amon Adonai Santos de Araujo Tobin was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He acquired the surname Tobin from his Irish stepfather. After travelling back and forth between Brazil and Portugal, he eventually relocated to England at an early age, where hip hop, jungle, blues and jazz caught his interest. He released four EPs and an album, Adventures in Foam, under Cujo moniker which he borrowed from a Stephen King novel, before he signed with Ninja Tune in late 1996. He has since released six critically acclaimed albums under his own name. He is well known for his song "Saboteur", which was featured as the main theme for the 2003 movie The Italian Job.

After a three-year hiatus from releasing any major original work, he was contracted by video game company Ubisoft to compose the soundtrack for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, released in 2005.[2]

Techniques and Releases

Tobin is perhaps best known for his creative use of sampling. He uses everything from old recordings to motorcycles (Supermodified) and even the acoustics of buildings (Out From Out Where) and stretches and skews them often beyond recognition. Resonances, delays, reverbs and a wide variety of sound effects also contribute to transform what was once familiar into something grotesque and unnatural. Psychedelic ambiences are frequently blended with retro-jazz beats, creating a barrier of apparently incoherent sound layers. This uniqueness and complexity make the task of categorizing his music a difficult one. Each of his albums introduces new polyrhythms and soundscapes. In his live shows, Tobin uses vinyl emulation software, Final Scratch, in order to access all of his altered samples quickly and efficiently.[3]

Live Shows

Amon Tobin before his 7.1 Surround Sound DJ set at Rotonde 2 in Luxembourg City, 8th December 2007

In his live shows, Tobin is mostly concerned about the sonic experience rather than the stage performance.[4] Thus he uses a 7.1 surround system, which works only indoors. By layering different textures to the respective channels, he makes his records sound superior to the ones on the albums.[5] His typical set list, apart from the enhanced versions of his album tracks, involves remixed third-party tracks that were the source of inspiration for the newest album. He is fond of Boxcutter, Spankrock, Noisia, Mayhem and Upbeats. Also the latest unreleased tracks can be presented on special occasions.


Discography

Aside from the albums and collaborations, Amon Tobin has also produced the composition to the Hungarian film, Taxidermia. Amon Tobin's music has also been used in other movies as well as advertisements. A three-track single "Bloodstone" was released in January 2007. On February 20, 2007, the iTunes Music Store released an exclusive pre-release for the "Foley Room" album.

Albums

Collaborations & Live Recordings

Singles & EPs

  • Curfew (1995) (as Cujo)
  • The Remixes (1996) (as Cujo)
  • Creatures (1996)
  • Chomp Samba (1997)
  • Mission (1997)
  • Pirahna Breaks (1997)
  • Like Regular Chickens (Danny Breaks & Dillinja Remixes) (1998)
  • 4 Ton Mantis (2000)
  • Slowly (2000)
  • East To West (2002)
  • Verbal (2002)
  • Angel Of Theft (2004) (as Player)
  • The Lighthouse (2005)
  • Bloodstone EP (2007)
  • Kitchen Sink Remixes (2007)

B-Sides/Other Tracks

  • Shiny Things (From Creatures)
  • Daytrip (From Creatures)
  • Tabukula Beach Resort (From Mission)
  • Piranha Breaks (From Piranha Breaks)
  • Sub Tropic (From Piranha Breaks)
  • Hot Pursuit (From Piranha Breaks)
  • Melody Infringement (From Ninja Cuts: Funkungfusion compilation)
  • Yards (From 4 Ton Mantis)
  • Bad Sex (From Slowly)
  • Down & To The Left (From Xen Cuts compilation)
  • East To West (From East To West)
  • Sirens (From East To West)
  • Cougar Merkin (From Verbal)
  • The Whole Nine (From Verbal)
  • El Chimi (From Verbal)
  • The Last Minute (From The Last Minute Soundtrack)
  • Here Comes The Moon Man (From Bloodstone)

Trivia

The following trivia comes from various interviews and the answers posted by Amon Tobin himself in "Ask Amon" section on the official forum. Actual references are hard to point out as the forum has been temporarily shut down.

  • Music had been his passion since early childhood. He would make his own TOP40 for his school radio every Monday by recording Sunday's TOP40 and editing the tapes on a twin cassette deck.[7]
  • In his youth worked as a street tout.[8]
  • His first sampler was from Casio.[9]
  • The names of his tracks are sometimes secret messages to his friends, otherwise they may point to the source of the sampled material.[10]
  • Has a girlfriend and a dog.[11]
  • Lives in an industrial area of Montreal in order to avoid noise complaints from neighbors.[12]
  • He is a chain smoker.[13]
  • Although he lived most of his life in England, he definitely regards himself as Brazilian.[14]
  • His stepfather has a PhD in linguistics.[15]
  • He has performed in front of more than sixty thousand people.[16]
  • Usually, at least one of his tracks is used in the British motor show Top Gear.

References

  1. ^ 4DJ Interview
  2. ^ http://www.ninjatune.net/ninja/release.php?id=934
  3. ^ http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/16777/
  4. ^ Current TV interview
  5. ^ Current TV interview
  6. ^ http://myspace.com/2wofingers
  7. ^ Nuziq 2007 interview
  8. ^ Amon Tobin official forum: answer in linguistic question topic
  9. ^ Nuziq 2007 interview
  10. ^ Amon Tobin official forum: answer in question topic
  11. ^ Amon Tobin official forum
  12. ^ Current TV interview
  13. ^ Amon Tobin official forum
  14. ^ 4DJ interview
  15. ^ Amon Tobin official forum: answer in linguistic question topic
  16. ^ 2007 radio interview

External links

Video links

Interviews

Official Music Videos

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amon_Tobin&oldid=189482785"