Cortini debuted the project in the summer of 2010 with four tracks online, which would appear on his debut LP, Blue, released later that fall. Explaining that the project name stems from the Italian phrase "sono io" ("it's me"), Cortini also announced that the effort was recorded entirely with one of his favorite instruments, the Buchla modular synthesizer. He put out a remix album of the record in December of 2010 titled Non (Blue), which featured reinterpretations of Blue's tracks from the likes of Big Black Delta and Ladytron. Sonoio's sophomore effort, Red, arrived six months later and featured one of the project's definitive tracks, "Enough," as its lead single. Another companion remix album arrived later that December and, in keeping with the theme of previous efforts, was titled Non (Blue). The release featured remixes from Telefon Tel Aviv, Drumcell, and erstwhile Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery.
Several years of inactivity followed while Cortini focused on working and touring with Nine Inch Nails and creating a string of instrumental records under his own name. He returned with new Sonoio material in late 2014, a song titled "Thanks for Calling," which he had made available online. The project remained quiet for the next three and a half years while he returned to his duties in Nine Inch Nails and worked with Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Mariqueen Maandig Reznor in a new band called How to Destroy Angels in addition to other creative endeavors. Sonoio's third record, Fine, was released in July 2018. "Thanks for Calling" appeared on the LP as its lead single, and Cortini announced that the record would be the last under the Sonoio moniker. ~ Rob Wacey, Rovi