Dead Amps is the sonic partnership of Erin O’Toole and Jonathan Payne, a duo whose creative evolution has spanned decades, cities, and sonic landscapes. Originally meeting in Southern California in 2004, they began making music together almost immediately—cutting their teeth in the vibrant LA music scene, playing venues across the region, winning local music awards, and building their first DIY studio where their distinctive sound began to take shape.

Though their early incarnation came to a close, Erin and Jonathan knew their musical journey was far from over. In 2007, they officially launched Dead Amps with the release of Ascension EP, followed by their debut full-length album Reloader in 2008. The album caught the attention of college and electronic music charts, with the track “Storms” being named a Hot Pick by the UK’s Future Music magazine.

After relocating to Colorado in 2009, Dead Amps continued to expand their catalog, embracing a fiercely independent approach to production and sound design. Between 2015 and 2019, they teamed up with UK indie label Pink Dolphin to release a string of ambitious projects, including the EPs Sleeper Haze and Portrait of Our New Storm, as well as the full-length concept album Modern Garbage and its companion remix release Modern Garbage Remix Trash.

Their bold reimagining of David Bowie’s “Fashion” was featured on Pink Dolphin’s 2019 tribute to Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), further cementing Dead Amps’ reputation for artful, genre-blurring interpretation.

In 2020, the duo released their fourth full-length album DA4, with a remix collection currently in development. Since then, they’ve relocated, built a new studio from the ground up, and have been hard at work crafting new material and revisiting past work with fresh ears—including a remastered edition of Portrait of Our New Storm (2025 Remaster).

With more new releases slated for 2025 and 2026, Dead Amps continues to evolve—always anchored in a shared vision, always pushing forward.