Chrome Sparks’ Jeremy Malvin talks live electronic music ahead of his Saturday Record Bar show

In his guise as Chrome Sparks, Jeremy Malvin makes electronic music that is absolutely entrancing. You can dance to it, but calling it dance music would be reductive. He has released a slew of singles, EPs and remixes (of such acts as Fred Falke and the Glitch Mob). After four years, he’s finally poised to release his first full-length, out next year on Counter Records.

Malvin answered some questions via e-mail about playing live versus the studio.

The Pitch: I love the fact that your albums have a visual aesthetic, as well as a sonic one. Who does the artwork for your EP covers, and what’s the angle you’re aiming for with them?

Jeremy Malvin: The amazing Tonje Thilesen does my EP covers. She’s a brilliant photographer and has really been the primary force behind the look of the releases. After the first EP cover she designed, Sparks, we decided that we wanted to continue with a similar object in a vacuum look. They’re almost planet-like, as if they’re the planet on which the music exists or was made.

After three EPs with Future Classic, you’ve now signed with Counter Records, which is an imprint of Ninja Tune. Is there something the label switch afforded you?

I think both labels are wonderful and have such awesome, caring and knowledgable people behind them.  I don’t switch and tell.

Since we’ll get a full-length Chrome Sparks album at some point in the near future, what does an LP offer that an EP can’t?

A few more tracks and a whole lot more effort.

One of the things I appreciate about your live performances is that you try to hit places like a punk band would — such as Boise or Kansas City — rather than sticking to the coasts and maybe hitting Chicago and Dallas. Is that important to you?

Big cities aren’t the only cities worth playing in, and small shows can be just as fun, if not more fun, than the larger ones. Big audiences are powerful, but so is intimacy. I just love performing, and I’m happy to take advantage of the opportunities to do so.

The marketing approach for this tour is interesting: You’re offering tour-poster lithographs and T-shirts as a bundle with a ticket to the show. Where’d the idea come from, and how has it been received?

My management came up with that. If some people want to buy merch ahead of time for a discount with their ticket, who am I to say no? As everyone well knows, tours are expensive. I’m not flying around with a backpack — I’m in a large van with a trailer attached, a drummer, sound person, tour manager, instruments and custom light pieces. Any way for us to make it easier for fans to support the tour and get a slick poster or shirt or whatever is something worth exploring.  

Does the current live show offer any previews of what one might expect from your upcoming LP, or is it all to be determined at this point?

I’ll be doing a few new songs from the upcoming LP.  They’re not quite finished yet, so hopefully playing them live will help inform their completion.

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Chrome Sparks plays the Record Bar Saturday, September 17, with Roland Tings. Details about the show can be found here.