Ultravox's "Sleepwalk": How German Krautrock Shaped a Synth-Pop Revolution and the Eighties dance music.
The Twelve Inch 154 : Sleepwalk (Ultravox)
There was a fleeting moment between punk’s decline and synth-pop’s rise when, as Gary Numan put it, “what had been was fading and the next thing hadn’t arrived.” This creative void became fertile ground for innovation, and few bands navigated it as compellingly as Ultravox.
Before they became synonymous with sleek, synth-driven anthems, Ultravox was a glam-rock outfit struggling to find an identity. Yet, within a few short years, they would pioneer the New Romantic sound—without ever truly belonging to the movement. Their pivot from guitars to synthesizers wasn’t just a trend shift; it was a conscious embrace of a new European musical identity, deeply influenced by Germany’s Krautrock scene.
This is the story of Sleepwalk, the first dance hit from the new Ultravox, and how Germany, Krautrock, and the legendary producer Conny Plank played a crucial but often overlooked role in shaping the future of dance music.
Krautrock anyone ?
Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and I’m really glad you’re here. This is “The Twelve Inch”, my newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.
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From Punk Aspirations to Synthesized Rebirth: The Origins of Ultravox
Ultravox formed in April 1974 with Billy Currie, Warren Cann, and Chris Cross in the original lineup. But their first frontman wasn’t Midge Ure—it was John Foxx. The band initially struggled to settle on a name, briefly considering The Damned before realizing it was already taken 😃. Eventually, they landed on Ultravox!—the exclamation point a nod to German band Neu!, an early sign of their European leanings.
Inspired by Roxy Music, David Bowie, the New York Dolls, and Kraftwerk, Ultravox’s early sound was rooted more in glam rock than electronic experimentation. Their raw energy earned them a deal with Island Records, leading to three albums:
• Ultravox! (1977) – A mix of art-rock and proto-punk energy
• Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977) – A shift toward a harder-edged, punk-influenced sound
• Systems of Romance (1978) – Their first serious step into electronic music
Despite some positive reviews, commercial success eluded them. After Systems of Romance sold just 25,000 copies, Island Records dropped the band on December 31, 1978.
A New Era: Midge Ure, the Blitz Scene, and a European Vision
Following a self-financed U.S. tour in early 1979, John Foxx left Ultravox, handing over the band name to the remaining members. Around the same time, Midge Ure and Billy Currie connected at London’s Blitz club, the birthplace of the New Romantic movement. Together with Blitz founders Rusty Egan and Steve Strange, they formed Visage—a project that fused European electronic influences with cutting-edge fashion.
Ure, who had already tasted success with Slik and Rich Kids, brought not only his experience but a clear direction for Ultravox. He had long admired the German pioneers Kraftwerk and Neu!, and saw their mechanical precision as the future of music.
When Currie invited Ure to join Ultravox, they carried over the electronic experimentation of Visage into their next project—one that would change the band’s trajectory forever.
Germany’s Hidden Hand: Conny Plank and the Krautrock Influence
Ultravox had already dipped their toes into electronic sounds, but to fully embrace the shift, they needed the right producer. Enter Conny Plank, the sonic architect behind Kraftwerk, Neu!, Cluster, and La Düsseldorf. Plank had worked on Systems of Romance and helped edge the band toward a more synth-driven direction. Now, Ultravox were ready to dive in completely.
Conny Plank in his studio. Click the photo for more details on a documentary about him.
Krautrock had emerged in Germany as a reaction against both traditional German folk music and American rock. Bands like Kraftwerk, Neu!, Can, and Cluster pioneered a sound based on:
• The “Motorik” Beat – A steady, hypnotic 4/4 rhythm
• Synthesizer Experimentation – Replacing guitars with electronic textures
• Minimalism & Repetition – Creating trance-like, forward-driving grooves
This style profoundly influenced the evolution of electronic dance music. Ultravox saw its potential and, under Plank’s guidance, harnessed it in their next recordings.
Plank wasn’t just a producer—he was an innovator. His Cologne studio was a sound laboratory, where he used delays, layered synthesizers, and unconventional microphone placements. He preferred first takes, capturing raw, spontaneous energy rather than over-polished performances.
With Plank at the helm, Ultravox crafted Sleepwalk—a song that married punk urgency with mechanical precision.
“Sleepwalk”: The Song That Announced the New Ultravox
By 1980, Ultravox had secured a deal with Chrysalis Records. They used their initial studio time not to record demos, but to create a fully polished master. Warren Cann recalls: “Upon our return [from the second US tour], we started looking for a label. To aid this, we made our London debut and did a one-off gig at the 'Electric Ballroom' on February 1st, 1980. Chrysalis Records was courting us and became interested enough to give us some studio time in order to do demos. We went into the studio with Conny Plank as engineer and decided not to do the usual thing of recording three songs to 'demo' status, we would use the allotted studio time to concentrate on doing one song well and hand them a 'master'. We recorded 'Sleepwalk' and Chrysalis offered us a contract”
Released in June 1980 as the lead single from Vienna, Sleepwalk was Ultravox’s first track with Midge Ure—and a statement of intent.
• Pulsing Mini Moog Synths – A relentless, robotic bassline
• Tight, Metronomic Drumming – A motorik beat influenced by Krautrock
• Detached yet Emotional Vocals – Midge Ure’s cold, futuristic delivery
Unlike many early synth-pop songs, Sleepwalk had no 12-inch extended version, yet it found success on the dance charts. It reached #29 in the UK Singles Chart and even #24 on the U.S. Dance Charts—a rare feat for a band with such an overtly European sound.
Ultravox and the New Romantics: A Reluctant Connection
By the early ‘80s, the New Romantic movement had taken off, with bands like Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, and Japan fusing electronic music with a glamorous aesthetic. While Ultravox was often lumped in with this movement, they never fully fit the mold.
The excellent b-side of Sleepwalk that would not be included on the Vienna album
Indeed, Ultravox’s minimalist, futuristic style stood apart from the excessive fashion and theatrics of the New Romantics. They weren’t interested in frilly shirts or flamboyant stage personas—they were laser-focused on sound and innovation.
Conclusion: Ultravox’s Role in the Evolution of Dance Music
The history of dance music is often framed as a primarily American evolution, stemming from soul, jazz, and disco. But there’s a vital European strand that is just as important—one that flows from Germany’s Krautrock movement and its rejection of rock’s past in favor of electronic experimentation.
Ultravox’s transformation from art-rock obscurity to electronic trailblazers is one of the most fascinating pivots in dance music history. By embracing the innovations of Conny Plank, Kraftwerk, and Neu!, they helped redefine what popular music could sound like.
Most histories divide Ultravox into two eras—before and after Vienna. But the reality is more nuanced. They had already begun incorporating synths on their Island Records albums. The shift wasn’t a sudden reinvention but a refinement of an idea that had been developing all along.
This track from their 1978 album Systems of Romance feels like it could seamlessly belong on their 1980 Vienna album.
Though they may not have been full-fledged New Romantics, they were among the first to prove that synthesizers could be as expressive as guitars—a revelation that would shape the next two decades of dance music.
Now, we turn the floor over to you:
When did you first hear “Sleepwalk”?
Do you remember the moment when electronic music first clicked for you?
Which other tracks from this era still give you that same thrill?
Drop your thoughts in the comments and don’t forget to check out this week’s exclusive mix on Mixcloud 🔊 🎛️
Further reading (or should I say watching)
There are a number of interesting video’s/links :
So You Wanna Hear More ?
I thought you would !
It’s fun to write about music but let’s be honest. Music is made to listen to.
Every week, together with this newsletter, I release a 1 hour beatmix on Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I start with the discussed twelve inch and follow up with 10/15 songs from the same timeframe/genre. The ideal soundtrack for…. Well whatever you like to do when you listen to dance music.
So what’s in this week’s mix ?
We’re diving into early synth-pop and new wave! With a BPM of 166, this mix goes beyond Hi-NRG 😁🚀✨ Most of the tracks are from 1981-83, and you can clearly hear the influence of Ultravox’s “Sleepwalk” throughout.
It’s a global selection of early synth-pop and new wave/post-punk, featuring The B-52’s, The Cure, and Martha & The Muffins for the latter, while OMD, Sparks, and Rational Youth represent the former. I’ve also included some deep European gems from Taxi Girl, Matia Bazar, and Indochine’s first hit. Plus, a few quirky picks—like the Bobby Orlando-produced Barbie & The Kens, his unmistakable take (or imitation—you decide!) on The B-52’s signature sound.
Enjoy !
Next week, I’ll be writing a piece on one of the finest discosongs from 1977, A Chicago born talented artist that found success on a Miami based disco label.
Learned so much as always. I was only familiar with Ultravox’s more commercially successful tracks bit I hadn’t heard Sleepwalk or any of the other songs. They were all great!
The stuff you know and the level of research are out of this world 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🪩🪩🕺