Raw Essentials

Before there was Pokerflat, before there was Audiomatique, before there was Dessous, before he did that remix of Freak’s The Creeps, and before he was one of the most sought-after underground house and techno DJs in the world, Steve Bug ran a label called Raw Elements (not to be confused with the UK hardcore label of the same name). It gave the likes of Alexi Delano and Märtini Brös. their earliest releases, as well as providing Bug with a platform to make the transition from his more banging roots into the world of house, techno and electro – all of which are represented here in various forms. This is a collection of their finest moments – and much of it sounds alarmingly contemporary.
 
The currently hot-to-tro Vincenzo’s My Vibrations treads lazy, hazy deep house tones, with more than a pinch of the St. Germain / Ludovic Navarre in its soothing Rhodes chords and slow-shuffling beats. Superlova’s All Night sounds entirely in the contemporary deep, smokey house vogue – which is of course itself a throwback to these documented days anyway – bumping along unhurriedly with dubby FX, looping vocal snippets and straightforward but very infectious beats.
 
Some tracks don’t hit the mark – the queasy techno of Steve Bug vs Acid Maria’s Vertigo lacks the class of other tracks, and the primal banging acid of Stereo Jack’s Boba Fett makes no advance on what Josh Wink was doing several years prior. This contrasts with the spacey, almost ambient techno vibes of Dexter Moore’s Compression – a much more sophisticated and pleasant workout.
 
Electro gets a look in on Les Rythmes Digitales’ remix of Bug’s Drive Me Up The Wall1, with retro beats and bass complimented with a lick of hazy ‘70s porno guitar, while A.D.N.Y. (Alexi Delano) & Vincenzo’s Ladyblue  is a sublime epic, drenched in summery, tropical instrumentation and rhythm, soothing chords.
 
There are a few bits here that neither stand the test of time nor impress in their context – but generally it’s a very enjoyable listen with some real gems, and an interesting insight into Bug’s earlier days. Lap it up.

01. Steve Bug: Rhodes Flash
02. Vincenzo: My Vibrations
03. Superlova: All Night
04. Vincenzo vs. Duffer Swift:
Got To Be (Herbert Remix)
05. Brunchbox: Bitch
06. Steve Bug Vs. Acid Maria: Vertigo
07. Stereo Jack: Boba Fett
08. Dexter Moore: Compression
09. Steve Bug: Honeymoon (Russ Gabriel Remix)
10. Clever ‚n‘ Smart: The Employers
11. Steve Bug: Drives Me Up The Wall
(Les Rythmes Digitales Remix)
12. Märtini Brös: Material Love
13. Vincenzo: At Throb
14. Superlova: All Night
(Stephan Grieder and The Persuader Remix)
15. A.D.N.Y. & Vincenzo: Ladyblue