(Photo by Marta Ruly) Sunroof (Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones) have announced details of a new album, “Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3”, set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via the Parallel Series of Mute on 29 November 2024.

“Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3” holds nine improvised tracks, recorded using the duo’s Eurorack modular systems, and builds upon the self-imposed parameters laid out on their 2021 debut. With nothing pre-planned or rehearsed, each of the nine tracks were recorded using four channels (two each) with no overdubs.

Note that “Splendid” was recorded using the original 4-track TEAC that Miller picked up second hand in the late 70s and used to record The Normal’s “Warm Leatherette” 7”.

Out now are two remixes of the track “Ensnare” by Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones. You can check out the original and the two remixes below.

This is the original version of “Ensnare”.

This is the Daniel Miller remix of “Ensnare”.

And here is the ElectroGenetic remix by Gareth Jones of “Ensnare”.

Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones have been collaborating for four decades. Their collaboration began in 1982 when Miller asked Jones to work with him on what became Depeche Mode’s “Construction Time Again”. After Depeche Mode had gone home for the day, the two would stay on to work on their own sessions, a practise that continues to this day. By the mid-nineties Sunroof had become a remix project, reworking the likes of Can, MGMT, To Rococo Rot, Kreidler and Goldfrapp, amongst others, and their first recordings appeared on a compilation paying tribute to Neu!

Sunroof album discography

• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1 (2021)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 2 (2023)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Live in London and Frankfurt (2023)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3 (2024)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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This summer, I came across “I’m Too Young to Die”, the debut album by German artist Oliver Decrow. His Minimal-Electro/Wave music evokes an ’80s flashback, enhanced by a modern and personal touch through its gritty analog synth sounds. Released by the renowned Cold Transmission label, the album captivated me with its cold, sterile aesthetic layered over deep, human themes. It felt like the perfect opportunity to reach out to this promising artist. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Can you introduce us to the musical world of Oliver Decrow? Where are you from, and how did you first get drawn into the world of electro music?

Oliver: I’m from Dresden, East Germany. I began producing music at an early age at school, but it really took off when I studied fine arts at the Art Academy in Dresden. During that time, I met several DJs and shared a studio with a local DJ and tattoo artist. He introduced me to music from the 80s, Italo-Disco, Cold-Wave, and Minimal-Wave like Decadance, Medio Mutante, S.M. Nurse, John Maus, SS-Say, Deux, Eleven Pond, Knight Action, Charlie (Spacer Woman), Moderne, and Linea Aspera.

During this period, I also spent time in shared apartments (WG’s), moving from one party to another. I had no money, and survival was hard, but discovering and enjoying music became a release, helping me get through each day and deeply impacting my personality.

While painting, we would listen to Intergalactic FM or Bohren & der Club of Gore (Piano Nights).

During my studies, I decided to leave Germany and moved to Montreal, where I lived in a tiny flat and made music every day. It was there, and in New-York, that I filmed my first music videos. I’ve always been a computer guy, but I try to bridge the digital and analog worlds. So, making music as an art form or expression felt natural for me. I did many collaborations and projects back then. I also worked with opera singer Annette Jahns, who would visit my cheap basement in Dresden once a week, bringing a bottle of good wine and something to eat and then we produced music together. Rest in peace, Annette! Around this time, I also met Sneaker DJ, who gave me valuable production tips and mastered my first tracks.

Q: You released your debut album “I’m Too Young To Die” this year. A first album is always special, so how does it feel to have it out, and what was the journey like in creating it?

Oliver: ‘Stress test’ is the first thing that comes to mind, especially in the last few weeks. My first album is like a retrospective of three years of making music. There are songs where, as soon as I hear them, memories of specific stories and situations come rushing back. For example, the suicide of my best friend is reflected in the track “Horse Hoof,” and “In My Room” deals with experiences I had with my mother.

The journey to my first album was full of doubts, joy, depression, anxiety, and great moments. Yin and yang -it was a rollercoaster, much like my life. Nothing was stable; everything was questioned. But I’m glad I made it. It was also a relief to finally finish something after such a long time.

One of the most rewarding parts of the journey was meeting new people and connecting with positive individuals worldwide who shared my interests, experienced similar situations, and could relate to my music. I learned a lot during the process and fulfilled a long-term dream. In the end, everything came together. You know, making an album is personal -you open your heart for everyone to see, and that often comes with a price. But I’m already looking forward to the next chapter of my life.

Q: Your sound echoes ’80s Electro-Wave with a modern twist. Which artists or albums have had the most significant impact on you, and how do they influence your music?

Oliver: Life has influenced me the most. I make music primarily to express my emotions or to lose myself in my inner world. If I had to name a few artists who have impacted my style or approach to music, they would be Boy Harsher, Sneaker Dj, Joy Division, Jennifer Touch, Molly Nilsson, Boan, and DAF. But my influences often change, and I love discovering new artists like VOID Palace, Abu Nein, Nights In Athens, Lila Ehjä, Laura Krieg, Kris Baha, Lovataraxx, Asymetric80, Years Of Denial, ManMachine, and Curses.

I’m drawn to artists who present their music in a way that feels authentic, not just like another copy. For example, I met ManMachine at the Ombra Festival in Barcelona last year, and after chatting with him, I saw his music differently. A man, a father, a keyboard -it felt warm and pure. My music is more influenced by emotions and life events than by specific artists, so to speak.

Q: Many of the album’s tracks were performed live before being recorded. How did these songs evolve during the recording process, and what changes or improvements did you make?

Oliver: That’s an interesting observation, and you’re right. The songs on my album really grew during live performances. I redid some finished tracks, adjusting the vocals and synth parts after realizing during live performances what could add that final touch. Every track underwent a few makeovers after live shows. I see the process like painting. You build something up and then destroy it to create something unique and new. The challenge is knowing when to stop.

Q: You already evoked some lyrical themes in your songs which are quite dark and intense. What drives these narratives, and how does turning personal struggles and dark subjects into music serve as a form of therapy or healing for you?

Oliver: Yes, your question holds the answer. I won’t go into detail about how difficult my life was because everyone has their own stories, struggles, and fate. Music is definitely a form of therapy for me. It’s an art form and a way to break out of daily routines and the system we live in. I often wonder what the world will look like in 10 or 20 years, with all the technology, greed, commercialism, and hate. But I know that there will always be people searching for real emotions, analog experiences, and real intelligence or just something like breathing fresh air in the woods.

Q: Are you already working on new material? What can we expect in terms of singles, remixes, videos, live shows, and future projects with your label G50 Records?

Oliver: Of course! A remix tape is coming out, and new tracks are in the works. I love diving into music, especially when life hits hard, and right now, it definitely does. This year, you can catch me playing in Nuremberg at the Bunker Rituals Festival (28th of September), in Dresden with Lovataraxx (20th of October), and in Chemnitz with Left For Pleasure (14th of December). G50 Records is like a DIY label with no aspirations for profit. I’m not sure if there will be any projects with my old friends, like the Klassenfeind-project, but who knows?

I’m really happy with the guys from Cold Transmission Music, namely Andreas and Suzy. It’s like a real family feeling, and we talk daily about the scene and our next creative ejaculations.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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Post-punk comes in many forms and shapes. Here’s a good example. The new album “Mirror Mirror” by the New York based post-punk / no wave act OOF is coming out on August 30th on the label 20/20 Records and Tapes. One track is already up on Bandcamp and the band is already taking pre-orders for CDs and cassettes.

Note that OOF also features a baritone sax, setting them apart from the usual post-punk acts. “Mirror Mirror” is already the band’s fifth album to date and was recorded and mixed by Craig Bowen at Tempo House Recording in Baltimore. The release has Anna Hochhalter on vocals and baritone saxophone, Peter Joseph on vocals and guitar, and Linda Casey on drums.

The band formed in 2007 and has brought social commentary “about our mundane or political lives”.

The trio will be doing a mini-tour to support the album release kicking off in Brooklyn at Mama Tried on Aug 29, followed by Aug 30th at True Vine in Baltimore, and Aug 31st at Rhizome in D.C.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com