Steve Bug: "Fabric 37"

Innovator, minimal dance connoisseur, tech house master - though hes been given many prestigious titles, if theres one quality that can be best attributed to Steve Bug, it would be modesty. Its a trait that has followed him throughout his illustrious career, from his early days as a child building guitars out of cardboard, to his early lessons in percussion at school ( In school, I was always forced to play percussion my teachers wouldnt give me the flute or any other instrument I didnt even get the full kit just the drum sticks and maybe a triangle!), to his beginnings as a mixtape DJ (Id never really thought of playing in clubs; I was only really recording tapes for myself), to his first productions (The first few productions set my course - Tobias really liked them and wanted to put them out. I was a bit unsure as, like the mixtapes from years ago, they were more for me, not to impress others.). Despite the fact that hes now largely regarded as one of the founding fathers of minimal creating his Da Minimal Funk compilation over 10 years ago and one of the most sought-after 4/4 DJs booked today, Bug remains truly humble when reflecting on the majestic rise from his beginnings as a dancefloor-dwelling clubber in Bremen, Germany to ruling his renowned Dessous/Poker Flat empire in Berlin.

I had a kick start [because of Rising High], but it didnt really help my career. Not that many people were interested or noticed that anything was happening besides hard techno / trance. I did a couple of more tracks for Superstition and a few parties but the rest of the label was moving in a different direction than I was. Not feeling comfortable with being part of a collective that had nothing to do with me and the music I was into, we decided to form a new label and forum for other artists who shared my musical taste and to give them a platform to express themselves also. We rethought Raw Elements and decided to start all over again with a new fresh concept. Thats how Poker Flat was born, with Loverboy as our first release. Steve Bug

Steve first caught the bug when, after being stuck in the commercial- minded clubland of Bremen for his formative years, a road trip over to Hamburg brought on his first exploration into Chicago house. Soon, trips to Hamburg became more and more frequent, and trips to record shops became his life. Eventually, his obsessive curiosity about US house and disco music saw him hop the pond to be directly immersed in it all he ended up in New York, for a life-changing trip that introduced him to a variety of friends that he still holds dear to this day. Upon returning home three months later, with a whole new back catalogue of influences, a full address book and a fresh perspective, Bug and his friends began throwing a weekly party at Bremens largest club, Maxx. These themed parties (Heaven And Hell, Rome Is Burning, Party Til The Doctor Comes, to name a few) led to Bug securing a residency at Maxx and, not long after, residencies the globe over. These days, as a DJ, producer and label owner, Bug is credited as being a fundamental instigator in the movement of house, techno and that ever-present word, minimal, in Europe.

On fabric 37, Steve Bug moves flawlessly in and out of lush, seductive 4/4 grooves with impeccable grace, while managing to delicately straddle the borders of techno and house, both legs dancing on either side of the fine line throughout the 70 minutes. The lively funk-based collection of tracks expands subtly and develops to climaxing heights, rendering a mix as effective in a dark warehouse as it is a fantastic headphone companion. Laced with hypnotising, elegant selections, fabric 37 builds on poppy riffs, swelling synths and contagious melodies. Catch the bug and indulge in the kind of infectious mix that gets more addictive with each listen.

I wanted to make the fabric mix atmospheric, with the occasional track where things go off! I think it typifies a set at fabric. When I was doing the Bugnology series, I was trying to compile all the records I was playing at that time. However, the mix for fabric will be much more influenced by my sets in fabric: it will be a perfect snapshot of how I play at the club.