biography

Sonic's musical journey began at a young age. Through learning jazz piano and saxophone, he found his way to a battered old fender guitar. Throughout his teenage years he headed a live band, where he picked up the basics of production and began to incorporate electronics and early computer music software. In Manchester in the mid 90's Sonic became hooked on the developing sounds of the jungle scene through excursions to clubs. A donated audio sequencer lead him into purely electronic production, and, by the time he met Silver at a Machester club, he was starting to perform live drum and bass. Silver was so impressed with Sonic´s backing DAT's that the pair linked up to have a go at making a tune - what was to be their first signed track, ‘YouWithMeNow’ on Freeform Records. Sonic´s style is heavy but with a musical soul. It is a mixture of heavy funk breaks, fat bubbling dubwise bass, cinematic atmospherics and strong melodic ideas, creating tracks that strike the right chord every time. He has cooked up brews that have their stylistic roots in dub, funk, soul and even house music. While some producers spend their career honing a particular genre, Sonic defies categorisation. You never know what his next release will bring!

Sonic has since spent most of his career focussing on his work with Silver. The Accidental Heroes was formed to provide an umbrella name for their collaborative production work. Their early involvement within different musical spheres is a continuous inspiration to them. Perhaps the first key moment in his career was his disco remix of his own ‘Even When It Rains’ (ft. David Sackey) featured on the ‘Heroes’ debut LP, ‘The Stars Our Destination’ that surfaced on J Majik´s Infrared Record label and plotted a new direction for drum and bass albums. While the LP featured the strongest dancefloor tracks, the CD version featured a number of different tempos, vocals, ambient intros - the aim being to create a concept album that told a story from start to end. The Accidental Heroes felt this lacking from a lot of dance music albums, and they wanted to revive the idea. Sonic & Silver have toured (both individually and together) extensively through Europe, the USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China... The list is endless. With their reputations reaching critical mass amongst the worlds drum and bass network, their diaries are bulging at the seams, and they have been a regular feature in London at Fabric, Turnmills and The End. Time just didn´t stand still for the Sonic. With Silver he launched the Science Fiction label as well as releasing EP´s and twelve´s on Renegade Hardware, Infrared, Timeless, L-Plates, Reinforced and Soul:R. Sonic and Silver´s 12", ‘On The Anson / Into The Light’ on easily the most well know of all drum and bass labels, Goldie´s Metalheadz, was described as ‘The definitive Metalheadz sound’. There is little higher praise!

They produced possibly their finest collaboration, one that had a massive impact, in 'Rocket Launcher'. This was released on Virus Recordings, along with Sonic´s Funkstation. Ed Rush and Optical had long been an inspiration to the Heroes. To them this was a dream come true. Virus 12"s are still among the most coveted in the industry, due to their very high quality control. In 2002 the big news was Sonic´s new label: Space Recordings. On its simplest level it is an outlet for the deeper end of Sonic´s drum and bass spectrum. The releases have already been getting the pulses racing amongst industry insiders and punters alike. Space has a sound that is instantly recognisable, and unique within the scene. It treads the fine line between euphoric dancefloor, rushing and intense, and emotional head-music, to put on in the dark at home and take you away. It is a widescreen, panoramic vision of multi-layered instruments, often played live, filling your head with melody. Music from the soul. The response has been awesome, and Sonic is already reaching his nineteenth release. Sonic still regularly adds to the ever-increasing back-catalogue of Space, but has also started a number of new collaborations while living in Tokyo, his home of the last few years. 2006/7 has seen work with old friends, Matrix, Marky, Makoto, DKay and Tokyo crew, ES9. A number of new labels have been graced with his work, including the mighty Bingo and Hospital Records. Also forthcoming is new work for Virus, and a return to his partnership with Silver. Over the years Sonic´s had top DJ support from the likes of John Peel, Steve Lamaq, Giles Peterson, Fabio and Grooverider on Radio 1, and the London and world D&B fraternity (Randall, Zinc, Hype, Pascal, Bailey, Andy C, Bryan G, Goldie, Doc Scott, Digital, DJ Lee, Loxy, Dylan, Ink, Keaton, Marcus Intalex, Total Science, 4 Hero, J Majik, Ed Rush & Optical, D.Kay, Mickey Finn, Dara, Dieselboy, Kenny Ken, DJ Rap, JJ Frost, Marky & Patife, Klute, Calibre, Invaderz, A-Sides and probably anyone else you´d care to mention!).