Sonic Animation was formed in Melbourne in 1994 by Adrian Cartwright, a keyboardist, drummer and programmer, and Rupert Keiller, a vocalist and programmer. The duo, both former members of the rock group Scarlet Garden, met while working at a local graphic design firm and decided to explore electronic dance music, a genre initially unfamiliar to Cartwright. Their debut single, "Time Is an Illusion", was released in 1995 on an independent label, followed by "From Sand to Stars" and the EPs Zero Zero Zero Zero One and Force Feed. In May 1997 the group issued their first studio album, Silence Is Deafening, on Azwan Transmissions; the release established their presence on the Australian dance scene. The subsequent years saw the release of Orchid for the Afterworld (October 1999) and Reality by Deception (February 2002), the latter peaking at number 22 on the ARIA Albums Chart and number 6 on the ARIA Dance chart. In February 2004 Defective Perspective followed, and in 2005 the compilation Eleven was issued before the band disbanded in 2006. After a hiatus, Cartwright and Keiller regrouped in 2011, releasing the fifth studio album Once More from the Bottom in March 2013, which included the single "I Will Be Twisted". The album was distributed by MGM Distribution and received positive reviews for its blend of dubstep, hip‑hop, and techno influences.