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Amon first recorded as Cujo for Ninebar Records, culminating in his debut album, "Adventures In Foam". Ninja heard an early 12" and began speaking to him - the result was 1997's classic, "Bricolage". Described as being like "stuffing Lionel Hampton, Art Blakey and Mingus into a compression chamber..." (Rough Guide To Drum & Bass), the album was an international success. It was followed up by the darker but no less rhythmically stunning "Permutation". People began comparing Amon to Ennio Morricone, artists as diverse as David Byrne and Cannibal Corpse went out of their way to praise him and Tobin found himself playing sold out shows at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Knitting Factory in New York and the Coachella Festival.
Following the massive success of "Permutation" Amon dropped "Supermodified", which was in some ways a departure, in others a development of everything that had gone before. The record is an experiment in sound - bass sounds made from motorbikes and tubas, breaks made from spitting and farting. The warped creativity continued was undoubtedly enhanced by Tobin's choice of collaborators. Chris Morris (of Brass Eye and Blue Jam fame) appears on "Bad Sex" ("Now chuck the spade at the child..."), while Precursor features Montreal cyber-beatboxer Quadraceptor double-timing it like his tongue's on fire.
Next up was the heavier still "Out From Out Where". Darker, more complex, even more rhythmically driving and intense than ever before, this huge record cemented Tobin's reputation as one of the most innovative and important names in electronic music today. Taking a compositional approach, Tobin delivered a massive widescreen lush production, flipped hip hop on its head with the barely decipherable 'Verbal', gave sci-fi a new soundtrack with 'Back from Space' and screwed with our understanding of what is possible.
After a year and half of touring "Out From Out Where" as part of his DJ set, tweaking and perfecting his performance, Amon found himself in Australia. Every night of this antipodean leg was recorded, and it was decided that this memorable and sweaty night in Melbourne, with Amon under the distracting influences of drugs, alcohol and Ozzy girls, would be the perfect opportunity to add to the Solid Steel series. And here it is.
Now relocated to Montreal, Amon is in the middle of working on the soundtrack to the next installment in the Splinter Cell video game series. Lurking in the bushes while picking off enemies with a sniper rifle will never sound the same again.
Biography courtesy of Ninja Tune, August 2004.
Software Highlights from Credited Titles
Amon Tobin's first video game work that SPOnG is aware of is the 2005 title, "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory" (PC) as Musician/Sound Effects. Of the titles listing Amon within the credits , "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory" (Xbox) and "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory" (PS2) have been best selling titles.
Amon's most recent involvement was as Musician/Sound Effects on the 2005 release "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory" (Xbox).
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