Steve Bug (DE)

‚Growing Up‘ in Germany‘s techno and acid-house heyday, 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. Besides this his DJ skills and keen, innovative, ear led him not down the typical path of the early nineties trance and harder dance scene, but towards a fresher, hybrid sound merging stripped deep house, tweaked out acid and more minimal forms of techno. The result was the first ‚wave‘ for Steve, as his Raw Elements label, debut album ‚Volksworld‘, and the classic compilation ‚Da Minimal Funk‘ lifted his sound and his name through 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 totally funky and grooving sound, this minimal club hit opened Steve‘s eyes 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 poular ‚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 night-time dubs and dancefloor workouts! As musical partners to the Poker Flat sound, his labels Dessous and later Audiomatique evolved - Dessous catering for more classic deep-house sounds fused with cutting edge production from top artists, while Audiomatique, standing for a very modern house and techno sound, allowed even crazier moments to be explored - and so all corners of his love for the 4/4 beat were expressed, presented in the upmost quality. 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 until-recently secret ‚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. The past time has also been a typically busy one, 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‘. Excitingly, his latest artist album ‚Collaboratory‘ was dropped in June 09, featuring a beautiful mixture of original tracks, seeing Steve work 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. Steve’s latest single happened to be the Poker Flat Recordings #111 release, named ‘Flight 111’, out in April 2010. Watch out for news on this and Steve‘s other activities as we approach what‘s set to be another non-stop summer in Bug town! Steve on Vinyl. ‚We‘re living in strange times,‘ Steve remarks, while discussing the current so-called ‚crisis‘ that has emerged between Vinyl and Digital platforms. Yet, he remains optimistic. A dedicated disciple of vinyl, Bug visits his favourite record shop in Berlin, Melting Point, every week without fail. Although he has famously utilised digital DJ tools to perform in clubs for some time now, Steve still takes the time to record his records as audio files to take on the road, preserving the unique ‚mastered‘ qualities of the original pressings. Its details like this that contribute to his position at the top of his game! Steve on DJing. Tastefully blurring the boundaries between restrained, deeplyunderground roots and strikingly versatile, hands-in-the-air moments, Steve‘s DJ sets have become some of the most sought after at the world‘s top important clubs and festivals and industry gatherings. He lists such parties as ‚The Sunday School for Degenerates‘, famously held every year at the Miami Winter Music Conference, as one of the highlights of the year. His alltime favourite German festival, Fusion, which he performs at every year, kicking off the party with the honorary opening set, also holds a place close to his heart. Steve on Production. Germany‘s true master of the electronic past, present and future, Steve Bug is an artist through and through, bristling with excitement, endearing energy and honesty, talking passionately about his career and his upcoming projects. As always he‘s firmly locked in the studio, and after the huge effort lovingly expressed through his new album ‚Collaboratory‘, Steve has somewhat morphed into a new, more relaxed and free-rolling producer. Stay tuned for some fresh new projects where the barriers and expectations might be lifted once again, opening up to his pure, undying musical intuition...