# DATAROCK’s Fredrik Saroea Teams Up With BIT20 Ensemble For Melancholy “A Matter of Dying” From Rona Diaries: Chamber Version LP

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/datarocks-fredrik-saroea-teams-up-with-bit20-ensemble-for-melancholy-a-matter-of-dying-from-rona-diaries-chamber-version-lp/
- Published: 2022-03-22T11:00:00-05:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

[[

**DATAROCK’S FREDRIK SAROEA
TEAMS UP WITH BIT20 ENSEMBLE
 FOR MELANCHOLY NEW SINGLE
“
A MATTER OF DYING”

**_Rona Diaries: The Chamber Versions Live at Greig Hall, Bergen_ Set for Release
on May 13, 2022 _via_ YAP Records**

**Pre-Save: [Here](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=24d967d2ae&e=615f2b8493)**

**MARCH 22, 2022 (NORWAY) – **“For ‘**A Matter of Dying**,’ the strings are falling
somewhat sadly in their melodic movements on top of a sturdy harp – but they’re 
also offering beauty and nuance to the lyrical content, seemingly agreeing to the
simple truth of the statements,” says **Fredrik Saroea**, about his new single with**
BIT20 Ensemble. **Taken off of his upcoming album _**Rona Diaries: The Chamber Versions
Live at Greig Hall, Bergen **_(Yap Records; release date **May 13, 2022**) “A Matter
of Dying” combines his rich pastoral indie rock stylings with the chamber sounds
of a four-piece string ensemble,  creating a gorgeously complex merge of orchestral
soundscapes with a guitar-focused rock sensibility.  

![](https://i0.wp.com/mcusercontent.com/f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984/images/edbb3c18-
af6d-bb82-769e-f858a177f55d.jpg?resize=431%2C287&ssl=1)

**Fredrik Saroea with BIT20 Ensemble @ **_**Bergen International Festival **_ 
credit:**
Thor Brødreskift**

Best known as the frontman of the critically acclaimed global disco punk outfit **
DATAROCK**, the Norwegian multi-genre artist re-envisioned his recent solo album_**
Rona Diaries**_ (2021) as a live piece with award-winning string quartet BIT20 Ensemble(**
Martin Shultz** on violin, **Liene Klava** on viola, **Agnese Rugevica **on cello,**
Johannes Wik** on harp with arrangements by **Bjørn Morten Christophersen**), merging
his contemplative indie rock with the exquisite air of a chamber orchestra.  He 
adds, “‘A Matter of Dying’ was originally somewhat inspired by [indie rock band]
Blonde Redhead  and all about accepting the ephemeral fluidity of life.”** **

Recorded at the infamous _**Grieg Hall **_during Norway’s 69th annual _Bergen International
Festival _(which took place on May 28, 2021), “A Matter of Dying,” along with prior
singles “**Bulletproof Vest,**” “**Bergheim**” and “**Understatement Lovesong**”
as well as all the other tracks from _**Rona Diaries**_ were premiered to an unsuspecting
public who were more familiar with his former band’s rhythmic brand of dance music.

Fredrik Saroea with BIT20 Ensemble: A Matter of Dying (chamber version)

[⌊Fredrik Saroea with BIT20 Ensemble: A Matter of Dying (chamber version)⌉⌊Fredrik
Saroea with BIT20 Ensemble: A Matter of Dying (chamber version)⌉
Watch this video
on YouTube

Fredrik Saroea with BIT20 Ensemble “A Matter of Dying”

Saroea says “A Matter of Dying” with BIT20 is very different to the slightly Strokes-
like arrangements on the original track (for his first solo album _Rona Diaries_).“
We didn’t keep any of the original melodic ornaments, but even though I’m very fond
of the original version on _Rona Diaries_, I think this particular new variant turned
out especially well, especially considering the fact that this is the very first
time we performed any of this material.”

![](https://i0.wp.com/mcusercontent.com/f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984/images/15c0e93e-
fc63-3377-2b31-9135dfafee02.jpg?resize=215%2C323&ssl=1)

**FREDRIK SAROEA**
Photo credit: Tove Lise Mossestad

As COVID-19 shut down live music in 2020, Saroea started recording solo material
that became his first solo album _Rona Diaries_ at YAP Records’ studio in Bergen,
Norway with the help of DATAROCK drummer **Øyvind Solheim **engineering, mixing 
and co-producing. The 12 songs were then mastered by UK’s GRAMMY®-nominated **Mike
Marsh **(_Björk, Massive Attack, Basement Jaxx, Depeche Mode_) and released May 
28, 2021.

Featured in “Best Of” lists from Rolling Stone to NME  and headlining festivals 
from Coachella, Lollapalooza, Reading and Leeds, Saroea’s band DATAROCK impacted
music scenes worldwide while also infiltrating both the videogame market with inclusion
in **FIFA** and **Sims** and the commercial environ with ads for **Apple**, **Google**,**
Microsoft**, **Samsung** and **Coca Cola**.  While their singles including the smash“**
Fa-Fa-Fa**” cemented them as dance sensations, Saroea moonlighted as a restaurateur
by opening world famous and Michelin-rated restaurants **_Lysverket_** and **_Hoggorm_**
in Norway. 

_**Rona Diaries: The Chamber Versions Live At The Greig Hall**_**, **_**Bergen**_
includes chamber versions of the _Rona Diaries_ tracks plus two bonus DATAROCK tracks.
It** **was mixed in Los Angeles by the two-time GRAMMY® winner **Mark Rankin** (
_Adele, Weezer, Florence and the Machine, Harry Styles_) and mastered by Mike Marsh
in the UK.  The album artwork was created by renowned artist **Magnus Voll Mathiassen**
who worked on **Rihanna**’s _Unapologetic_ and 2021’s _**Oscars**_.

![](https://i0.wp.com/mcusercontent.com/f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984/images/04334d41-
5339-0daa-a1c6-fe7d8b5d2e94.jpg?resize=356%2C356&ssl=1)

1. I’m a Rock
2. Battered & Bruised3. [Bulletproof Vest](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=9ca560a652&e=615f2b8493)
4. The End5. [A Matter of Dying](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=c95aa2d095&e=615f2b8493)
6. [Bergheim](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=5e100ee17e&e=615f2b8493)
7. [Understatement Love Song](https://reybee.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f67b4587af2b2ef9aa80ed984&id=679c2fc178&e=615f2b8493)
8. Stray Cats9. Dragging You Down10. The Family You Got to Choose11. Feather in 
the Cap12 Heaven Knows Those Songs Weren’t Heaven Sent13. Catcher in the Rye (Bonus)
14. Laugh in the Face of Darkness (Bonus)

**[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/fredriksaroea/?hl=en) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2hOtCBWHEsB52vdadEzvAX?si=4FMXHXtDS2y4vCXSsWlrtw&nd=1)
| [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/user/DatarockOfficial)**

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