Pole^DE

Credit: Ben de Biel

Stefan Betke, widely recognized under his moniker Pole, is a pivotal figure in electronic music, famed for his textured soundscapes that blend dub with minimalist electronic music. Originating from Düsseldorf and later moving to Berlin, Pole's journey into music production peaked with his influential trilogy 1, 2, and 3 released between 1998 and 2000. This series not only established his sonic signature but also set a benchmark in the genre.
Pole’s artistic approach is deeply intertwined with his professional expertise as a mastering engineer, a skill that enhances the meticulous quality of his work. In 1999, he co-founded the label ˜scape, which soon became a haven for innovative electronic music. This move was followed by the establishment of his own mastering studio, Scape mastering, cementing his dual role in the music industry.
His album Steingarten in 2007 and subsequent works such as the Waldgeschichten series exhibit his enduring ability to innovate, combining deep, dub-inflected basslines with a rhythmically rich minimalism. These elements, coupled with his hands-on approach to vinyl mastering, illustrate a craftsman who not only shapes his own music but also the sound of his contemporaries.