Few people bring a truly original sound to house music. At a relatively young age, Hamburg’s Martin Stimming did just that, demonstrating a sophisticated yet accessible sound that’s beyond his years.
Two years after hooking up with Solomun’s Diynamic Music, his 2008 breakthrough hit Una Pena made the electronic world sit up and take notice, and before long acclaimed labels like Freerange, liebe*detail, Buzzin’ Fly, Green and Poker Flat were snapping up his work. 2009 saw him release his immaculate debut album Reflections to great acclaim, cementing his reputation as one of the most exciting new producers of his generation. His second album, Liquorice, eschews the normal kick-clap/snare template by and large to explore more interesting and progressive territories, but always with that trademark magpie-like sense of texture, emotion and discovery. His productions are filled with a multitude of his own unique, charismatic field recordings, and he never uses the same sample more than once.
2010 saw him pick up an award for Best Newcomer at the Ibiza DJ Awards, following on from his live show (Stimming doesn’t DJ) stunning the crowds at the island’s legendary Pacha, and the finest danceries around the world – from Berlin’s Panoramabar to Sao Paulo’s D-Edge, Brussels’ Fuse, London’s fabric and Paris’ Rex, and plenty more beyond. Remixes for the likes of Sascha Funke, Claude VonStroke, Marc Romboy & Stephan Bodzin and Robert Babicz to name but a few have further spread his influence amongst the discerning house and tech community, and cemented his reputation as one of the scene’s most exceptional producers.
Clearly, Martin Stimming is a precious talent indeed. But then again, not everyone loves liquorice…
