Deram Records

History

In the 1960s, Decca recording engineers developed a technique called Decca Panoramic Sound, from which the term Deramic was derived. This method allowed more space between instruments, rendering sounds softer to the ear, in contrast to the hard left, centre, or right panning typical of early stereo pop recordings due to the limitations of professional 4-track reel-to-reel recorders. Decca initially intended Deram Records to showcase Deramic Sound recordings of contemporary pop and rock, though not all early releases used the technique.

Instead of overdubbing and mixing four mono tracks from a single four-track machine, engineers used a pair of four-track recorders to layer multiple two-channel stereo recordings, enabling more flexible placement of instruments within the stereo field. To launch the concept, Deram issued a series of six easy listening orchestral pop albums in October 1967, all with Night in the title, such as Strings in the Night and Brass in the Night, featuring artists like Gordon Franks, Peter Knight, and Tony Osborne.

The label soon reinvented itself as a rival to early pre-punk indie labels like Island Records, becoming a home for progressive and psychedelic artists. Among the first recordings in this series was the November 1967 album Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues, while Crocheted Doughnut Ring and Beverley Martyn were also signed around this time. Professional eight-track recorders began appearing in British studios in early 1968, starting with Advision Studios and Trident Studios, offering far more flexibility than the dual four-track setup.

By 1969, Decca had its own eight-track recorder, and since its engineers no longer had more tracks than other studios, the Deramic Sound concept quickly became outdated and was dropped.

Did You Know?

• Three of Deram's earliest hits—Procol Harum's 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' and the Move's 'Night of Fear' and 'I Can Hear the Grass Grow'—were produced outside the company by artists not directly signed to Deram, as part of a deal with Straight Ahead Productions.
• David Bowie's first album appeared on Deram, and Cat Stevens found early success there before moving to Island Records.
• In 1969, Decca launched Nova, a progressive label that lasted less than a year, causing confusion with simultaneous releases on Deram Nova and Decca Nova.