Description
Germany’s tastemaker, trendsetter, move-shaker extraordinaire, Steve Bug, is a multi-faceted artist who refuses to back down from the limelight. A dedicated, energetic and constantly surprising talent, Steve is nothing less than an electronic music ambassador, a much-loved spokesman to the people, and for good reason.Having grown up in Germany‘s techno and acid-house heydays, Steve Bug‘s love for a perfect groove is as apparent now as it was back then. From the very early days DJjing in Bremen and Hamburg it was clear there was a strong talent waiting to be nurtured. With a bit of encouragement from Superstition‘s Tobias Lampe, Steve‘s very first productions were released in 1993 and his musical story began.
Early on his Raw Elements label, debut album‚ Volksworld, and the classic compilation, Da Minimal Funk, lifted his sound and his name throughout the ranks. Further compilations and singles followed, as did the growth of the Raw Elements label alongside artists like Vincenzo, Märtini Brös and more, continually surprising and re-inventing the template for the genre.
In 1999 Steve broke yet more boundaries with the launch of Poker Flat Recordings, and his classic, ‘Loverboy.’ Introducing a darker, yet funky groovey sound, this minimal club hit opened windows to new territories and new possibilities. Needless to say the Poker Flat imprint still runs strong today, over a decade since its inception, and Steve now stands as a figure head for the hugely popular, minimal-tech-house sound that the label pioneered. His first album for Poker Flat, entitled ‚The Other Day‘ stands as a testament to this futuristic, melting pot of sounds and ideas, where musical diversity and experimentation meet soothing nighttime dubs and dancefloor workouts!
As musical partners to the Poker Flat sound, his labels, Dessous, and later, Audiomatique evolved; Dessous catering a more classic deep-house sound fused with cutting edge production from top artists, and, Audiomatique, a modern house and techno sound. Countless productions, remixes and one-off studio sessions with key producers ensued, all carrying the Bug‘s name further afield, and higher up the musical ladder. Notable offshoots from his main focus of work were the now classic ‘B-Series,’ and the secretive, ‘Traffic Signs‘ projects, which explored different musical paths to great effect, yet still carried with it the unmistakable quality he‘s become known for.
The essential, ‘Bugnology‘ mix series (now in its third installment), along with high profile mix cds for Cocoon, Fabric, Fuse and more, continued to rouse support for Bug‘s much in-demand DJ style, and propelled him further across the globe, touring far and wide. All the while his by now trademark studio sound continued to earn him credit, with his next album, ‘Sensual‘ and singles like ‘The Smackman EP‘, ‘Wet‘n‘Dry‘, ‘A World Without Cru Sauvage‘ and ‘Silicon Ballet‘ with Clé, all upping the ante.
Bug has stayed busy, compiling the compilations ‘Dead Man‘s Hand‘, and the 10 year anniversary compilation ‘All In!‘ for Poker Flat, as well as an exclusive digital album celebrating ‘Time Flies -The Best of Steve Bug 1998-2008‘. ‘Collaboratory‘ was dropped in June 09, featuring a beautiful mixture of original tracks with some of his favourite producers and closest friends, from Clé to Cassy, Donnacha Costello to Simon Flower and more! The album was followed by the single release of the collaboration track ‘Swallowed Too Much Bass’ featuring vocals by Paris The Black Fu and three remix EPs.
Most recently, Bug has released his 5th LP, Noir to rave reviews. Like the title, the album evokes a world of shady transactions and secret crimes; emitting a suitably dark and moody atmo- sphere, relentless beats and basslines ghostly sounds swirl and conspire. Although all the pieces are driven by head-rushing beats. Although the film noir concept isn’t carried through completely, it infuses the spirit of the record in a way reminicent of the sci-fi obsession of Jeff Mills or Carl Craig; with evocative spoken word texts, play in to a vision of an apocalyptic-dystopian disco.‘Noir’ is very much an electronic album, richer than its predecessor, these tracks easily transcend the merely functional - Steve Bug has injected the harmonies with serious emotion.
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