Big Scary is an Australian musical duo formed in Melbourne in 2006, by

Tom Iansek Tom Iansek is a Melbourne-based Australian record producer and songwriter, best known for his work with #1 Dads, Big Scary, and No Mono. Iansek has produced music for Emma Louise, Airling, Lanks, and Slum Sociable. Career 2006-present: Big Sc ...

and Joanna Syme. The pair have released several EPs and five studio albums. Their 2013 album '' Not Art'' was nominated for the Australian Album of the Year at the

J Awards of 2012 The J Award of 2012 is the eighth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The announcement comes at the culmination of Ausmusic Month (November). For the fifth year, three aw ...

, Best Independent Album at the

AIR Awards of 2013 The AIR Awards of 2013 (or Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards of 2013) is the eighth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at Revolt Art Space, in Mel ...

and also for

ARIA Award for Best Independent Release The ARIA Music Award for Best Independent Release, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording ...

at the

ARIA Music Awards of 2013 The 27th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2013 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fin ...

. ''Not Art'' won the 2014

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was made by Australian Music Pri ...

, winning the band $30 000. In 2010 Iansek had formed a side project, #1 Dads. Their 2016 single " The Opposite of Us" was certified gold in Australia in 2020.

History

2006–2010: Formation and early EPs

Big Scary formed in 2006 as a modern folk band with simple shakers and acoustic guitar after the two met through a recommendation of mutual friends. Joanna Syme recalls "Tom was looking to put together a band and needed a drummer. He ended up on my doorstep with a guitar". The duo played casually together in between day jobs until 2008 when Iansek completed a program in audio engineering. Syme said "All of a sudden he was paying a lot more attention to production, and the direction of the band changed." In late 2008, the band headed into the studio for the first time, recording six live tracks in a single day. In October 2008, they duo uploaded "The Apple Song" onto Triple J Unearthed and officially released in December 2008, alongside a self-titled debut EP. In March 2009, "This Weight" was released followed in July 2009 with their 4-track EP ''The Mini EP'' and single "Hey Somebody" and EP ''At the Mercy of Elements'' in January 2010. In 2010, the duo recorded and released limited-edition EPs named and inspired by each seasonal turn. Upon completing the task in December 2010, the four EPs were compiled into the compilation, '' The Big Scary Four Seasons''. ''Beat Magazine'' said "''Four Seasons'' proves to be the defining turning point for Big Scary, for they are no longer the next best thing in Australian music, they ''are'' the best thing" while the ''AU Review'' hailed "the versatility and obscene talent of the players." At the

J Awards of 2010 The J Award of 2010 is the sixth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station ...

, they were nominated for Unearthed Artist of the Year. The song "Autumn", was placed in a high-profile AT&T advert in the USA and released as a single in January 2011.

2011–2020: ''Vacation'', ''Not Art'' and ''Animal''

In July 2011, Big Scary released "Mix Tape", the lead single from their debut studio album, ''

Vacation A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for specific festi ...

''. This was followed by "Gladiator" in September 2011. ''Vacation'' was released in October 2011 and peaked at number 37 on the ARIA Charts. ''Beat Magazine'' said the album "delves into the theme of slowing losing touch with all those important things we like – friends, lovers, a home and that nifty thing known as employment." Two further singles were released from the album and the band extensively toured USA in 2012. In February 2013, Big Scary released "Phil Collins", followed by "Luck Now" in April. The duo's second studio album, '' Not Art'' was released in June 2013 and peaked at number 32 on the ARIA chart. "Twin Rivers" was released in November 2013. At the

, the album was nominated for two awards. The album won the

of 2013. The duo signed with Barsuk Records who released ''Not Art'' in North America in March 2014. In September 2015, Big Scary released "Organism", the lead single from their third studio album. In June 2016, the duo released the six-minute sonic, "Over Matter" and announced the released of their third studio album ''Animal''; a four-part experience drawing inspiration of the daily cycle of the animal kingdom, hunting, lurking, resting and waking. ''

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

'' was released on 2 September 2016 and peaked at number 5 on the ARIA charts. The album was supported by their first Australian headline tour in three years. At the

ARIA Music Awards of 2017 The 31st Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) are a series of award ceremonies which include the 2017 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine ...

, Iansek was nominated for

ARIA Award for Producer of the Year The ARIA Music Award for Producer of the Year, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", and have been given by t ...

2021–present: ''Daisy'' and ''Me and You''

In February 2021, Big Scary released "Stay", their first new music in four years and announced the release of their forthcoming fourth studio album '' Daisy''. Singles "Get Out" and "Bursting At the Seams" preceded the album's release on 30 April 2021. In August 2022, Big Scary released "Real Love" and "Devotion" preceding their fifth studio album, '' Me and You'', which was released on 23 September 2022.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Extended plays

Singles

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as

AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. History The inaugural 2006 awards were held at ...

) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. , - , AIR Awards of 2011 , themselves , Breakthrough Independent Artist , , - , rowspan="4" ,

, themselves , Best Independent Artist , , - , ''Not Art'' , Best Independent Album , , - , "Luck Now" , Best Independent Single/EP , , - , themselves , Carlton Dry Global Music Grant , , - , rowspan="2" ,

AIR Awards of 2017 The AIR Awards of 2017 is the eleventh annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards (generally known as the AIR Awards) and was an award ceremony at Queen's Theatre Adelaide, Australia on 27 July 2017. This is the first ...

, ''Animal'' , Best Independent Album , , - , "The Opposite of Us" , Best Independent Single/EP , , - ,

AIR Awards of 2022 The 2022 AIR Awards is the sixteenth annual Australian Independent Record Labels Association Music Awards ceremony (generally known as the AIR Awards). It took place on 4 August 2022 in Adelaide. The nominations were revealed on 18 May 2022 wi ...

, ''Daisy'' , Best Independent Pop Album or EP ,

Australian Music Prize

The

(the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. , - , 2013 , ''Not Art'' , Australian Music Prize , , - , 2016 , ''Animal'' , Australian Music Prize , , -

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Big Scary have been nominated for three awards. , - , rowspan="2",

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

, rowspan="2", ''Not Art'' , Breakthrough Artist - Release , , - , Best Independent Release , , - ,

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

for ''Animal'' by Big Scary ,

Producer of the Year The Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical is an honor presented to record producers for quality non- classical music at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors i ...

, , - ,

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...

, ''Daisy'' , Best Adult Contemporary Album , , -

J Awards

The

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...

are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...

. , - ,

, themselves , Unearthed Artist of the Year , , - ,

J Awards of 2011 The J Award of 2011 is the seventh annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The announcement comes at the culmination of Ausmusic Month (November). For the fourth year, three a ...

, ''Vacation'' , Australian Album of the Year , , - , J Awards of 2013 , ''Not Art'' , Australian Album of the Year , , - , J Awards of 2016 , ''Animal'' , Australian Album of the Year , , -

Music Victoria Awards

The

Music Victoria Awards The Music Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating music from the Australian state of Victoria. They commenced in 2006 and are awarded in Melbourne Music W ...

, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. They commenced in 2005. , - ,

, ''Not Art'' , Best Album , , - ,

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

, Tom Iansek (Big Scary) , Best Musician ,

References

{{Authority control Victoria (Australia) musical groups Australian musical duos Musical groups established in 2006