Art vs. Science
Encyclopedia
Art vs. Science are a three-piece dance
band from Sydney
, Australia
formed early in 2008. The group consists of Jim Finn on vocals and keyboards; Dan McNamee (styled as Dan Mac) on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Dan Williams (styled as Dan W.) on drums and vocals.
In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux
in March and then Groove Armada
in May. The trio received three nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2010
for their independent extended play release, Magic Fountain
And in 2011 the group won "Best Independent Release" for their debut album The Experiment
.
concert in 2007 and convinced his former high school friends, Jim Finn and Dan Williams, to form an electro-pop dance band. The trio having previously played for a number of years in a rock band, Roger Explosion, together with Finn's brother Tom. As Art vs Science with Finn on vocals and keyboards; McNamee on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Williams (who, at the time, was also a member of Philadelphia Grand Jury
) on drums and vocals the band were booked to play gigs before they had created any songs.
The band gained wider recognition by winning radio station, Triple J
's Splendour in the Grass
Unearthed competition. After playing gigs and festivals, including the Parklife Festival, Falls Festival
, Good Vibrations and touring nationally with The Galvatrons
, Art vs. Science received a 2008 Unearthed J Award
nomination. Their songs, "Flippers" and "Hollywood" receiving significant airplay, with "Flippers" reaching No. 44 spot in Triple J Hottest 100, 2008
.
Art vs Science’s debut self-titled extended play, Art vs. Science
, was recorded at Big Jesus Burger studios in Surry Hills
with producer Simon 'Berkfinger' Berckelman (Philadelphia Grand Jury) and released in May.
It peaked at No. 32 on the Australian Singles Chart
and has since been accredited gold record status. The band undertook its first headline national tour in May 2009, which completely sold out. The band then undertook an extensive national tour, designated as "The Eiffel Tour", in August 2009 which also had several sold out shows.
They were nominated at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009
for 'Breakthrough Artist Single' for Art Vs. Science. They also received two AIR Award nominations for 'Best Independent Single' and 'Breakthrough New Independent Artist' and won 'Best Independent Dance Album'. With their colourful mix of pop, French electro, and rock they won the Fasterlouder Festival Award for 'Best Local Act' in 2009.
The band's song "Parlez Vous Francais?" was added to rotation at community radio, Triple J and Nova 969. The song was voted in at No. 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2009
. The video for "Parlez Vous Francais?", directed by Alex Roberts, was also nominated for 'Australian Music Video of the Year' at the 2009 J Awards. By the end of the year Williams had to give up playing drums in his other Sydney band, Philadelphia Grand Jury
, in order to concentrate full-time on Art vs. Science.
Art vs. Science started to gain international recognition, following the inclusion of "Parlez Vous Francais?" on BBC 1 DJ Kissy Sell Out’s cover-mount compilation on UK taste-making magazine Mixmag
, airplay on John Kennedy’s XFM
’s show and blog attention, courtesy of a remix package including tracks by Bumblebeez and Nadastrom. XFM also named the band one of the 20 Bands to Watch in 2010. In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux
in March and then Groove Armada
in May.
"Hollywood" was featured on the soundtrack of the basketball video game NBA 2K11
.
The band released its second EP, Magic Fountain, in August 2010 which reached No. 14 on the Australian singles charts. The song Magic Fountain, also reached No. 9 in Triple J Hottest 100 for 2010 announced on Australia Day 2011.
At the 2010 ARIA Music Awards
the band received three nominations, 'Best Dance Release', 'Best Independent Release' and 'Best Video' for Magic Fountain. As from October, Art vs. Science were recording their debut album in Queensland with producer Magoo
, and expected it to be released in February 2011.
The band's next song, "Finally See Our Way", premiered on Triple J
's The Breakfast Show with Tom
& Alex
on 22 November 2010 and made available on iTunes on 26 November 2010. At the same time the band was named as one of the support acts for The Chemical Brothers
Australian tour in March 2011. Art vs. Science signed with Kobalt Music Australia, the label's first local signing.
Their album, named The Experiment, was released in Australia on 25 February 2011.
and are widely acknowledged to be one of Australia's best live acts though the band's album reviews have been somewhat polarising. Rolling Stone awarded the album 4/5 stars, saying that the 'debut album from festival favourites perfectly captures their intense, slightly crazy live spirit'. Blog Polaroids of Androids were less than kind
Website 'The Vine' praised the band and the album, saying 'packed from top to toe with fist-pumping, bass-throbbing anthems, the cheek of Art vs. Science might be the only thing saving the kids from utter blandness.'
Music review website Mess and Noise gave the record a poor review saying, "The album could be easily dismissed as a one-note act making hay while the sun still shines on their blissfully brainless patch of land".
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph proclaimed 'this is Australian pop music to be proud of'. Australian street press was unified in its praise of the album, with The Brag, Drum Media, Beat and Time Off all awarding the band 4/5 and Album of The Week status.
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
band from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
formed early in 2008. The group consists of Jim Finn on vocals and keyboards; Dan McNamee (styled as Dan Mac) on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Dan Williams (styled as Dan W.) on drums and vocals.
In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux
La Roux
La Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
in March and then Groove Armada
Groove Armada
Groove Armada is an English electronic music duo from London, England comprising Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I See You Baby" and "Superstylin'"...
in May. The trio received three nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2010
ARIA Music Awards of 2010
The 24th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards are a series of award ceremonies which included the 2010 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine Arts Awards and ARIA Awards. The latter ceremony took place on 7 November at the Sydney Opera House and was...
for their independent extended play release, Magic Fountain
Magic Fountain (EP)
Magic Fountain is the second extended play from Australian electronic band Art vs. Science. It was released on 6 August 2010. The EP's main song Magic Fountain reached number 9 on Triple J's hottest 100 2010 countdown.-Track listing:-Weekly Charts:...
And in 2011 the group won "Best Independent Release" for their debut album The Experiment
The Experiment
The Experiment was a documentary series broadcast on BBC television in 2002. It presented the findings of what subsequently became known as The BBC Prison Study -Background:...
.
Biography
Art vs Science formed in Sydney in early 2008, after Dan McNamee attended a Daft PunkDaft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
concert in 2007 and convinced his former high school friends, Jim Finn and Dan Williams, to form an electro-pop dance band. The trio having previously played for a number of years in a rock band, Roger Explosion, together with Finn's brother Tom. As Art vs Science with Finn on vocals and keyboards; McNamee on vocals, guitars and keyboards; and Williams (who, at the time, was also a member of Philadelphia Grand Jury
Philadelphia Grand Jury
Philadelphia Grand Jury were an Australian trio from Sydney, New South Wales. The bands final lineup featured of Joel "MC Bad Genius" Beeson on bass, keyboard and guitar, Simon "Berkfinger" Berckelman on vocals and guitar and Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten on drums...
) on drums and vocals the band were booked to play gigs before they had created any songs.
The band gained wider recognition by winning radio station, Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
Unearthed competition. After playing gigs and festivals, including the Parklife Festival, Falls Festival
Falls Festival
The Falls Festival is a New Year's Eve music festival, held annually in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania Australia since 1993.It lasts four days, from 29 December to 1 January each year. The headline acts play mostly over two evenings, 30 December and 31 December...
, Good Vibrations and touring nationally with The Galvatrons
The Galvatrons
The Galvatrons are a four piece rock band who formed on 28 August 2007, in Melbourne, Australia. Lead singer Johnny Galvatron stated on radio station 101.3 Sea FM on the Central Coast that the band got their name from the 1986 animated film Transformers...
, Art vs. Science received a 2008 Unearthed J Award
J Award
The J Award is an award given by influential Australian youth radio station Triple J to Australian Album of the Year. It is judged by a panel of members of the music industry, led by Richard Kingsmill...
nomination. Their songs, "Flippers" and "Hollywood" receiving significant airplay, with "Flippers" reaching No. 44 spot in Triple J Hottest 100, 2008
Triple J Hottest 100, 2008
The 2008 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day, 26 January 2009. It was the sixteenth countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station, Triple J....
.
Art vs Science’s debut self-titled extended play, Art vs. Science
Art vs. Science (EP)
Art vs. Science is the debut extended play from Australian electronic band Art vs. Science, self-released on 1 May, 2009. The EP debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at 49 in May 2009 before peaking at number 32 in February 2010....
, was recorded at Big Jesus Burger studios in Surry Hills
Surry Hills, New South Wales
Surry Hills is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Surry Hills is located immediately south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
with producer Simon 'Berkfinger' Berckelman (Philadelphia Grand Jury) and released in May.
It peaked at No. 32 on the Australian Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and has since been accredited gold record status. The band undertook its first headline national tour in May 2009, which completely sold out. The band then undertook an extensive national tour, designated as "The Eiffel Tour", in August 2009 which also had several sold out shows.
They were nominated at the ARIA Music Awards of 2009
ARIA Music Awards of 2009
The 23rd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards took place on 26 November 2009 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. The ceremony was telecast on the Nine Network at 8:30pm that night...
for 'Breakthrough Artist Single' for Art Vs. Science. They also received two AIR Award nominations for 'Best Independent Single' and 'Breakthrough New Independent Artist' and won 'Best Independent Dance Album'. With their colourful mix of pop, French electro, and rock they won the Fasterlouder Festival Award for 'Best Local Act' in 2009.
The band's song "Parlez Vous Francais?" was added to rotation at community radio, Triple J and Nova 969. The song was voted in at No. 2 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2009
Triple J Hottest 100, 2009
The 2009 Triple J Hottest 100 was announced on Australia Day 26 January 2010. It is the seventeenth countdown of the most popular songs of the year, as chosen by the listeners of Australian radio station Triple J....
. The video for "Parlez Vous Francais?", directed by Alex Roberts, was also nominated for 'Australian Music Video of the Year' at the 2009 J Awards. By the end of the year Williams had to give up playing drums in his other Sydney band, Philadelphia Grand Jury
Philadelphia Grand Jury
Philadelphia Grand Jury were an Australian trio from Sydney, New South Wales. The bands final lineup featured of Joel "MC Bad Genius" Beeson on bass, keyboard and guitar, Simon "Berkfinger" Berckelman on vocals and guitar and Susanna "Susie Dreamboat" Patten on drums...
, in order to concentrate full-time on Art vs. Science.
Art vs. Science started to gain international recognition, following the inclusion of "Parlez Vous Francais?" on BBC 1 DJ Kissy Sell Out’s cover-mount compilation on UK taste-making magazine Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
, airplay on John Kennedy’s XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
’s show and blog attention, courtesy of a remix package including tracks by Bumblebeez and Nadastrom. XFM also named the band one of the 20 Bands to Watch in 2010. In 2010, the group toured the United Kingdom in support of La Roux
La Roux
La Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
in March and then Groove Armada
Groove Armada
Groove Armada is an English electronic music duo from London, England comprising Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I See You Baby" and "Superstylin'"...
in May.
"Hollywood" was featured on the soundtrack of the basketball video game NBA 2K11
NBA 2K11
The game has received critical acclaim. Game review websites have praised NBA 2K11 for its developed controls, online multi-player, and Michael Jordan features...
.
The band released its second EP, Magic Fountain, in August 2010 which reached No. 14 on the Australian singles charts. The song Magic Fountain, also reached No. 9 in Triple J Hottest 100 for 2010 announced on Australia Day 2011.
At the 2010 ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2010
The 24th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards are a series of award ceremonies which included the 2010 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine Arts Awards and ARIA Awards. The latter ceremony took place on 7 November at the Sydney Opera House and was...
the band received three nominations, 'Best Dance Release', 'Best Independent Release' and 'Best Video' for Magic Fountain. As from October, Art vs. Science were recording their debut album in Queensland with producer Magoo
Magoo (Australian producer)
Magoo is the professional name of Lachlan Goold, a multi award-winning Australian music producer based in Brisbane, Australia. With his business partner Jeff Lovejoy, Magoo operates Black Box Recording, a Brisbane-based recording facility....
, and expected it to be released in February 2011.
The band's next song, "Finally See Our Way", premiered on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's The Breakfast Show with Tom
Tom Ballard
Tom Ballard is a tall, blond, fast-talking, openly gay, Australian radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Thomas Colin Ballard grew up in Warrnambool, Victoria and attended Brauer College Warrnambool, graduating in 2007 where he was dux with an ENTER of 99.80, and was consequently named as the...
& Alex
Alex Dyson
Alex Dyson is an Australian radio presenter who, along with co-host Tom Ballard presents the breakfast show on Australian youth radio station Triple J....
on 22 November 2010 and made available on iTunes on 26 November 2010. At the same time the band was named as one of the support acts for The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
Australian tour in March 2011. Art vs. Science signed with Kobalt Music Australia, the label's first local signing.
Their album, named The Experiment, was released in Australia on 25 February 2011.
Members
- Jim Finn – keyboards, bass, vocals
- Dan McNamee – keyboards, guitar, vocals
- Dan Williams – drums, vocals
Critical reception
Art vs Science have the support of Australia's national youth radio station Triple JTriple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
and are widely acknowledged to be one of Australia's best live acts though the band's album reviews have been somewhat polarising. Rolling Stone awarded the album 4/5 stars, saying that the 'debut album from festival favourites perfectly captures their intense, slightly crazy live spirit'. Blog Polaroids of Androids were less than kind
Website 'The Vine' praised the band and the album, saying 'packed from top to toe with fist-pumping, bass-throbbing anthems, the cheek of Art vs. Science might be the only thing saving the kids from utter blandness.'
Music review website Mess and Noise gave the record a poor review saying, "The album could be easily dismissed as a one-note act making hay while the sun still shines on their blissfully brainless patch of land".
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph proclaimed 'this is Australian pop music to be proud of'. Australian street press was unified in its praise of the album, with The Brag, Drum Media, Beat and Time Off all awarding the band 4/5 and Album of The Week status.
Albums
- The ExperimentThe Experiment (Art vs. Science album)The Experiment is the debut full-length studio album by Australian electronic band Art vs. Science. The band confirmed on Twitter that it is due to be released on 25 February 2011. In December 2010, the album was made available to pre-order on iTunes...
– Kobalt (AVS003) (25 February 2011) AUS #2
EPs
- Art vs. ScienceArt vs. Science (EP)Art vs. Science is the debut extended play from Australian electronic band Art vs. Science, self-released on 1 May, 2009. The EP debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at 49 in May 2009 before peaking at number 32 in February 2010....
– Green (AVS001) (1 May 2009) AUS #32 - Magic FountainMagic Fountain (EP)Magic Fountain is the second extended play from Australian electronic band Art vs. Science. It was released on 6 August 2010. The EP's main song Magic Fountain reached number 9 on Triple J's hottest 100 2010 countdown.-Track listing:-Weekly Charts:...
– Green, MGM (AVS002) (6 August 2010) AUS #14 - Parlez-Vous Francais? / Flippers – San City High (25 October 2010)
Singles
- "Parlez Vous Francais?" (2009)
- "Friend in the Field" (2009)
- "Magic FountainMagic Fountain (song)"Magic Fountain" is the second single from Art vs. Science's debut album The Experiment. The song came in at number 9 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2010. The somewhat viral music video features an old man equipped with a vest made of speakers emitting music which forces anyone who hears it to break...
" (2010) - "Finally See Our WayFinally See Our Way"Finally See Our Way" is the first single by Australian electronic band Art vs. Science from their debut album The Experiment to be released in February 2011. The song was used by Network Ten to promote Smallville on Eleven in Australia in 2011....
" (26 November 2010) - "A.I.M. Fire!" (March 2011)
- "Higher" (2011)
- "With Thoughts" (2011)
Awards and nominations
- 2008 J Award – 'Unearthed Artist of the Year' – nominated
- 2009 AIR Award – 'Best Independent Single' – nominated
- 2009 AIR Award – 'Breakthrough New Independent Artist' – nominated
- 2009 AIR Award for 'Best Independent Dance/Electronica' – winner
- 2009 ARIA Music Award for 'Breakthrough Artist Single' – nominee
- 2009 J Award – 'Music Video of the Year' ("Parlez Vous Francais?") – winner
- 2009 Faster Louder Festival Award for 'Favourite Local Act' – winner
- 2010 ARIA Music Award for 'Best Independent Release' ("Magic Fountain") – nominee
- 2010 ARIA Music Award for 'Best Dance Release' ("Magic Fountain") – nominee
- 2010 ARIA Music Award for 'Best Video' ("Magic Fountain") – nominee
- 2011 J Award – 'Australian Album of the Year ("The Experiment") – nominee
External links
- Official website
- YouTube
- Art Vs Science on NovaFM
- http://polaroidsofandroids.com/record-reviews/art-vs-science-the-experiment/5672.html
- http://www.thevine.com.au/music/album-reviews/art-vs-science-%27the-experiment%2720110307.aspx
- http://messandnoise.com/releases/2000835
- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/music/album-of-the-week-art-vs-science/story-fn7oonq8-1226015863293