A male/female duo from Los Angeles consisting of Statik and kaRIN, Collide chose their name to represent the collision of techno and industrial, breakbeats with samples, ambient and noise, plus the Gothic vocals that influenced them. Together, they blend macho angst with a softer, ethereal aggression.
While Statik had played trumpet for a few years during school, most of his musical training came from spending many months experimenting with samplers and computers. He also attended a music/engineering school in Los Angeles that helped him land his first studio job. Statik's first solo project was called Statik: Machines.
Once Statik and kaRIN met, they knew they were on the same musical path. kaRIN had sung spontaneously and consistently since a child, and the lyrics she created for Collide express unconscious, flowing emotions. They self-released their first cassette demo, The Crimson Trial, in 1995, and followed this with their first full-length album, Beneath the Skin, a German import, in 1996. The Re-Constriction label released the remix album Distort one year later, including the favorites "Pandora's Box" and "Violet's Dance." Compilations and singles became a strong means of expression for the duo, who sang or worked on dozens of them and remained a studio band. After five years without a new album, the Next Level label released Chasing the Ghost in June 2001 with a few additions to the lineup: Tim Pierce (guitar), Fritz Heede (sitar), Kevin Kipnis (guitar), and Monica Richards (vocals), plus Statik still in charge of the production, engineering and mixing. ~ Eleanor Ditzel, Rovi
