Extreme Animals is Jacob Ciocci and David Wightman. Over the past 9 years this prolific duo has released countless CD-Rs, tapes and videos and gone on self-booked DIY tours at least once a year, influencing a wide array of younger musicians, artists and video-makers with their unique combination of noise, dance music, and performance art.

The project began (as early as 2002) as an approach to 90s trance anthems interpreted through the lens of damaged noise music, with David on spastic drums and Jacob on junk electronics and distorted vocals.Their live show and sound has now evolved and consists of elaborate videos, guitar, and incorporates a range of sonic references from baroque music to booty bass to mash-ups and metal guitar shredding, while still maintaining the rawkus emotional immediacy that has been their hallmark for the past 8 years. Their videos (directed by Jacob Ciocci, Paper Rad founding member) have been imitated the world over, combining hyper remixes of popular culture with original animation into a bewildering maelstrom of contemporary American pathos.

Their audience is a rare cross-over between art and music culture, allowing them to transition fluidly between galleries like Deitch Projects or museums like MOMA (automatic update, 2006) to legendary underground music venues like Wham City and The Smell. They have shared the stage with many of the most game-changing acts of the last 10 years including: Yacht, Lightning Bolt, Dan Deacon, Juiceboxxx, Teengirl Fantasy, and Javelin and they have releases out on critically acclaimed independent labels such as Load Records, DeathBomb Arc, Viscious Pop and Audio Dregs.

In addition, their work crosses over into the realms of academia: David Wightman holds a PHD in music composition from UCSD and has attended various residencies including the Atlantic Center for the Arts (working with David Lang), Bang on a Can Institute,and the Domaine Forget New Music Session, La Schola Cantorum Composition Program. Jacob Ciocci holds an MFA and was a visiting lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University. He is current a Senior Fellow at Eyebeam Art and Technology Center. The duo have individually and together done lectures and studio visits at institutions such as Oberlin College, SVA, and Syrcause University.