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Berlin DJ/producer Daniel Steinberg locked himself in his East Berlin studio for a nine-day period of self-imposed exile that ultimately laid the foundations for his opus, Treptow. "For the nine days I didn't speak to a soul except for the pizza delivery guy and completely lost my mind (in the best possible way) listening to some very obscure experimental music from the likes of Ron Geesin, Mark Shreeve, and Trevor Wishart." Long-lauded by Jesse Rose who signed him to his Front Room Recordings label and the likes of Richie Hawtin, Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano and Claude VonStroke, who've supported his tunes, Treptow speaks of a producer enjoying a deep vein of inspiration. Over 14 tracks he has crafted an album filled to the brim with rich, personality-laden electronic music that's indicative of not just the breadth of his production palette, but his passion and commitment towards creating colorful dance music with genuine soul and feeling. To encase oneself in the world of Steinberg's Treptow is to be taken on a trip through the artist's kaleidoscopic musical consciousness, which effortlessly swings from the multi-layered bass grooves and low-slung funk of "Mechanics," to the disco-tinged vibes of "True Romance" and "Joy & Happiness," the latter of which received Beatport's "Track of the Day" upon release in 2012. Famed for his love of crate-digging, Steinberg's pet passion is on full display throughout the album with "Tomorrow," deftly combining jackin' beats with chopped-up vintage funk samples, before moving things southwards, with the tropical Latin vibes of "Pasilda." He also crafts, simple, stunning piano-laden house with aplomb, as album single "Can't Find My Baby" attests to, while reinforcing his ability to produce punchy, crisp tech house with "Let Me Down" and shimmering "Low Rider." A long-time hero of the Berlin club scene with regular appearances at Watergate, Tresor and Suicide Circus, as well as the Fusion Festival, Steinberg was 13 when the Berlin Wall came down. He has fond memories of slipping out of his bedroom window to attend the legendary E-Werk and Bunker clubs, immersing himself in the sounds of Strictly Rhythm, R&S, Low Spirit and Bonzai Records. Such was his passion for the movement that he quickly became the DJ for his school in Treptow making mixtapes for his friends. Years later, it was also in Treptow that he produced his first record in his tiny apartment, and today it's that very former apartment that is the location for his studio and the site of creation for his latest album, making this a fitting tribute.
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