I Monster
Encyclopedia
I Monster are an English
electronic music
group
, composed of the Sheffield
based record producer
s Dean Honer and Jarrod Gosling. They formed in 1997, and released their debut album
These Are Our Children in 1998.
However, due to Honer being involved with hitmakers All Seeing I
, it was not until 2001 that they released their first single
, "Daydream in Blue", a remix
of The Gunter Kallmann Choir's version of The Wallace Collection's "Daydream". The song was originally released on 7" on Honer's own record label
Cercle Records, which he founded with Add N to (X)
's Barry Seven. It was later re-released with a new mix on Instant Karma
(in association with their own label Twins of Evil); which has also released material from Kings Have Long Arms
and Mu Chan Clan. The song also featured on episode 3 of season 1 in the BBC Television
television drama Hustle
. The track peaked at #20 in the UK Singles Chart
in June 2001.
They released their acclaimed second album Neveroddoreven in 2003, which was re-released with a new sleeve in 2004. The band are regular guest DJ
s across the country, and have played live shows in London
and at various Europe
an music festival
s. Part of their live band is made up of Fred de Fred and Marion Benoist from The Lovers
, on guitar
and vocals
respectively.
In 2007, I Monster started collaborating with Finnish pop artist, HK119
, for her second album. The resulting project, Fast, Cheap And Out Of Control
was released in September 2008 on One Little Indian Records
, and saw I Monster co-write and co-produce over three quarters of the album. This collaboration came from Dean Honers previous role as a remixer for HK119's debut single, "Pick Me Up", from her debut eponymous album in 2006.
I Monster and their label, Twins of Evil, are both named after horror
film
s.
Their music also been used in a number of films such as Shaun of the Dead
, Riders (Steal), the snowboard video "From _______ with Love" (Mack Dawg Productions), and has been sampled by hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco
on his second single, "Daydreamin'
". It was also used in the Ford Focus ST advertisement in the UK, and was also translated into other languages (for example, Turkish) for use in other European countries. The "Glamour Puss" remix of their song "Hey Mrs." was used in television commercials for Absolut Vodka
and television series Eureka
. As well as this, their song "These Are Our Children" was used several times on the Australian television series Underbelly
; and was subsequently released as part of the Underbelly
soundtrack
. It was also used as background music in episode 5 of the ITV drama Married Single Other
. Their song "Heaven" was used in the introduction to the TV show Numb3rs
in episode 21, season 5.
In 2009, they released the follow-up to Neveroddoreven, titled A Dense Swarm of Ancient Stars.
In 2011, they produced The Human League
's Credo
, the band's first album in 10 years.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, composed of the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
based record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s Dean Honer and Jarrod Gosling. They formed in 1997, and released their debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
These Are Our Children in 1998.
However, due to Honer being involved with hitmakers All Seeing I
All Seeing I
The All Seeing I is an English electronic music group from Sheffield, comprising Dean Honer, Jason Buckle and DJ Parrot...
, it was not until 2001 that they released their first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Daydream in Blue", a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of The Gunter Kallmann Choir's version of The Wallace Collection's "Daydream". The song was originally released on 7" on Honer's own record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Cercle Records, which he founded with Add N to (X)
Add N to (X)
Add N to were a three-piece British band specializing in electronic music performed on analogue synthesizers, formed in London in 1994.The original band members were Andrew Aveling, Barry Smith and Ann Shenton...
's Barry Seven. It was later re-released with a new mix on Instant Karma
Instant Karma (record label)
Instant Karma is an independent record label created by former Warner Music Group chairman and head of the BPI, Rob Dickins, in 1999.The label was founded by Dickins after his resignation from Warner Music, where he gained fame for his track record of signing female vocalists such as Enya and The...
(in association with their own label Twins of Evil); which has also released material from Kings Have Long Arms
Kings Have Long Arms
Kings Have Long Arms are an English "rocktronica" act, formed in Sheffield and masterminded by Salford-born Adrian Flanagan . Kings Have Long Arms have collaborated with Philip Oakey from The Human League on the track "Rock and Roll is Dead", Marion from The Lovers and Mira from Ladytron...
and Mu Chan Clan. The song also featured on episode 3 of season 1 in the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
television drama Hustle
Hustle (TV series)
Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
. The track peaked at #20 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in June 2001.
They released their acclaimed second album Neveroddoreven in 2003, which was re-released with a new sleeve in 2004. The band are regular guest DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s across the country, and have played live shows in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and at various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s. Part of their live band is made up of Fred de Fred and Marion Benoist from The Lovers
The Lovers (band)
The Lovers are a French electronica/ Neo Burlesque band based in Sheffield, England, consisting of real-life lovers Fred de Fred and Marion Benoist...
, on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
respectively.
In 2007, I Monster started collaborating with Finnish pop artist, HK119
HK119
HK119 is the alter ego of Finnish multimedia artist, singer and recording artist Heidi Kilpeläinen, who lives and works in London, UK.-Career:...
, for her second album. The resulting project, Fast, Cheap And Out Of Control
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (album)
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control is the 2008 follow-up album to HK119's 2006 eponymous debut. The album was released through One Little Indian Records on 28 September 2008 in the United Kingdom....
was released in September 2008 on One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records
One Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarchist punk bands, and managed by ex-Flux of Pink Indians Derek Birkett. The first success came with A.R. Kane and...
, and saw I Monster co-write and co-produce over three quarters of the album. This collaboration came from Dean Honers previous role as a remixer for HK119's debut single, "Pick Me Up", from her debut eponymous album in 2006.
I Monster and their label, Twins of Evil, are both named after horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s.
Their music also been used in a number of films such as Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
, Riders (Steal), the snowboard video "From _______ with Love" (Mack Dawg Productions), and has been sampled by hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
on his second single, "Daydreamin'
Daydreamin'
"Daydreamin" is the Grammy Award–winning third single taken from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor album and features soul singer Jill Scott and music from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, the Danse de Cygnes...
". It was also used in the Ford Focus ST advertisement in the UK, and was also translated into other languages (for example, Turkish) for use in other European countries. The "Glamour Puss" remix of their song "Hey Mrs." was used in television commercials for Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, Skåne, in southern Sweden. Since July 2008 the company has been owned by the French firm Pernod Ricard who bought V&S Group from the Swedish government....
and television series Eureka
Eureka (TV series)
Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
. As well as this, their song "These Are Our Children" was used several times on the Australian television series Underbelly
Underbelly (series)
Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama which originally broadcast on the Nine Network. Each series contains 13 episodes and is based on real-life events including the Melbourne gangland killings between 1995-2004, the Griffith drug trade between 1976-1987, and the Kings Cross scene...
; and was subsequently released as part of the Underbelly
Underbelly (soundtrack)
The soundtrack from the controversial Australian TV series, Underbelly was released on 29 March 2008. It features some of the songs from various artists that played in episodes, and includes elements of the score by Burkhard Dallwitz.-CD Release:...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. It was also used as background music in episode 5 of the ITV drama Married Single Other
Married Single Other
Married Single Other is a British television drama created and written by Peter Souter. The series is based on the lives of group of people who are either married, single or "other", other being defined as in a relationship. It began airing on Monday 22 February 2010 at on ITV1 and UTV...
. Their song "Heaven" was used in the introduction to the TV show Numb3rs
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
in episode 21, season 5.
In 2009, they released the follow-up to Neveroddoreven, titled A Dense Swarm of Ancient Stars.
In 2011, they produced The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
's Credo
Credo (The Human League album)
Credo is the ninth studio album by The Human League. It is their first studio album since Secrets in 2001. It has been produced by fellow Sheffield act I Monster and is released on Wall of Sound....
, the band's first album in 10 years.
Discography
- These Are Our Children (1998)
- Neveroddoreven (2003)
- A Dense Swarm Of Ancient Stars (2009)