Steve Bug - Never Ending Winding Roads (2LP) [Poker Flat]

--> Format: 2x12" LP + MP3 Download Code.

The acclaimed producer, DJ, label owner and musical pioneer Steve Bug has an influence on the musical landscape that, at this stage in his career, is widely documented. With roots in Germany's legendary club scene and admirers worldwide thanks to his enviable back catalogue of releases, the influence of his *Poker Flat* label and his renowned DJ sets, Steve is a singular artist with a lucid and passionate approach to his craft.  

His previous LP, *Paradise Sold*, alongside Langenberg, was released in 2018 to great acclaim, described by *Mixmag* as "elegantly euphoric". However, *Never Ending Winding Roads* is an entirely solo project, largely produced during the months of enforced isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the track titles reflect Steve's state of mind during this time, with themes of loneliness, contemplation and reflection emerging more than in any of his previous works.  

Steve's formative years in music were during the golden age of techno and acid-house in Germany, with his love for the perfect groove as evident now as it was then. His DJ skills and innovative ear led him to diverge from the typical path of the harder trance and dance scene of the early 90s, leaning instead towards a fresh, hybrid sound that fused minimalistic deep house, modified acid, and more stripped-back forms of techno and electronic music: a style he continues to champion strongly to this day.  

"My mindset when creating *Never Ending Winding Roads* was completely different to any other project I've ever worked on. I didn't have to tour and was instead able to concentrate 100% on writing music without having the dance floor as a constant influence. This allowed me creative freedom to explore a variety of styles and emotions, and, as a result, it is the album I am most satisfied with to date," comments Steve Bug.  

Featuring 11 brand new tracks, *Never Ending Winding Roads* is a meticulously produced and deeply captivating electronic album; an exploration of diverse facets of house, techno, and broken beat, with Steve's characteristic attention to detail and originality.  

The album opens with *Lucid Loops*, which perfectly sets the tone, immediately drawing you in with a hypnotic, undulating synth line, accompanied by a slightly unsettling backdrop thanks to discordant strings and whispered vocals. This atmosphere of subtle paranoia permeates many of the album's tracks, particularly in *Locked Away In My Head*, with its winding groove and a tense, anxiety-laden synth line.  

This album, more than any other in his career, shows Steve experimenting with broken beats, with incredible results. Tracks like *A Conscious Machine* and *Electro Harmonix* are melodic and emotionally charged cuts: bursts of radiant optimism that wonderfully contrast with the album's darker moments.  

At other points, songs like *Yellow Snake* lead Steve to explore deep and dubby territories, while the album closer, *Upon Mountains*, is a cosmic, arpeggiated masterpiece: the soundtrack to an 8-bit video game reimagined as an emotional electro ballad.