Interviews

Berlin-based duo MELLOWDEATH, formed by drummer Sara Neidorf (Sarattma, Mad Kate | The Tide, Hypnodrone Ensemble, ex-Brian Jonestown Massacre) and bassist Isabel Merten (No Chronicles), has been crafting their own sonic universe since 2017. Their distinctive blend of nightmare jazz - part cinematic unease, part haunted groove - has taken them across Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Poland, and Czechia. Now in 2025, MELLOWDEATH is set to release their long-awaited debut full-length, Mellowdeath, a mesmerizing album filled with ghost surf tones, doom-twang dirges, and hypnotic cinematic moods. Featuring an ensemble of guest musicians and recorded between Berlin and Philadelphia, the record is an otherworldly experience that challenges conventions and rewards repeat listens.

We caught up with Sara and Isabel to discuss the origins of their sound, the making of their new album, and what’s next for the duo.

 

1. MELLOWDEATH formed back in 2017 as a duo between Sara Neidorf and Isabel Merten. How did the two of you first connect, and what sparked the creation of this project?

Sara Neidorf: We met when I saw Isabel performing with her other duo, No Chronicles, in like 2015. I was really seduced by the wonky, humorous, groove-heavy style of her playing and songwriting. I basically “courted” her musically, and she was reluctant/ reticent, but after running into each other again and urging her to jam, she eventually agreed, and the magic started there. It was really a singular kind of alchemy flowing between us from the get-go.

 

2. Your sound has been described as “nightmare jazz” - a mix of cinematic, eerie, and playful moods. How did that style evolve, and what does that term mean to you personally?

SN: It’s really hard to say. I think it had a lot to do with our playing styles, and the way we came together. I remember responding to the tone of her bass, her array of pedals and the jarring pace with which she’d switch between sounds and dynamics. It inspired a lot of spontaneity in my own playing, and I think a sort of trickster style became our home base.

 

3. Your debut EP Deadly Stares received great acclaim for its originality. Looking back, how do you feel that release shaped the band’s identity moving into your full-length debut?

 

SN: I think the EP laid the groundwork for a mixture of sinister, sneaky, and energetic.

 

4. The upcoming album Mellowdeath seems to expand your sonic world even further - from ghost surf to doom-twang and beyond. What inspired this broader palette and the album’s overall atmosphere?

 

SN: All the guest musicians who joined us for this release definitely contributed to the diversity of the album’s palette. I think it’s also true that as the two of us have grown, playing with other

kinds of projects in different genres, it’s brought new elements into the Mellowdeath sound. 

5. You brought in several guest musicians - including cello, trombone, synths, and theremin - to help shape this record. How did these collaborations influence the final sound of

Mellowdeath?

SN: I’m really excited by the ways that the guests have shaped the sound and tone. You can really hear their influence in the ways the songs differ from each other. They add a lot of shape and character, adding something but also accentuating the original sonic identities of the pieces. I was worried the songs would sound too disparate, but then in the end I think they’re quite cohesive and the differences are actually part of the album’s eclectic identity.

 

 

 

6. The record was tracked in Berlin and mixed/mastered in Philadelphia. How did working across continents affect the creative or production process?

SN: It wasn’t always easy, honestly. Sometimes communication took a while and schedules were hard to align. In the end, we managed and I’m pleased with the results. But I think in the future we might try a more condensed approach, working in person with (hopefully) the same engineer over a couple of weeks (instead of four years), really tying things together and wrapping up the project more efficiently. In any casen, Jan Oberg did a great job recording us, and Steve Roche was great at listening to our needs and adding grit and grime to our sound.

 

7. You’ve mentioned that a stripped-down version of the album will also be released later, highlighting just the duo setup. What made you want to showcase both versions of the same material?

SN: It’s hard to say when that version will be ready, because Isabel is handling the final mix and master of that version. We’d like to have the material out in this enhanced version (the main release), and in the duo version that will reflect our original lineup and be more representative of the live sound we usually deliver. I think some pieces are also very strong in their stripped-down form. It inspires a different modus of listening, paints a different kind of picture.

 

8. The cover art by Chloe Grove is striking and mysterious. How does it connect with the themes or moods of the album?

SN: Chloe Grove is an awesome artist who works in so many different styles. Very imaginative. These demon creatures are a motif that she explores in a lot of her screenprinted work, and when I saw them, I felt like– okay, she and Mellowdeath are both residents of the same psychic phantasmagoria. It just felt super aligned with the sinister, playful, nightmarish, funhouse vibe of our music. It was a really natural fit.

 

9. You have a release show booked in Berlin and are planning more tour dates soon. What can fans expect from MELLOWDEATH’s live performances this time around?

SN: Yes, we’ll play a release show (or possibly two) in Berlin in mid-December (currently shows are planned on the 11th and 13th. Write to us directly to find out details!). Marco Bianciardi will join us on guitar for a few tracks. In late January, we will also perform an original live score for the silent German expressionist classic, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This is a new direction for us that I find really exciting. So, it could be that we’re getting more into the world of live scoring soon. And we also have enough material for a third album ready, so I hope we will plan the recording for that in early-mid 2026. In any case, more moody and adventurous sonic surprises are coming soon. Thanks for checking out our music and for the questions.

Upcoming Release & Live Dates

 

Mellowdeath will be released digitally on November 14th, 2025, with a cassette edition via Cruel Nature Records to follow.
A stripped-down duo version of the album will arrive later, offering a raw, intimate look at the band’s core sound.

Live: 12/11/2025 – 3xter, Berlin, DE (Album Release Show)

https://www.facebook.com/letsdieaMellowdeath

 

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