From Berlin-Mitte, a central district in greater Berlin, where Stefan Betke, the individual behind Pole, lives, it takes a mere 15 minutes to drive to the Koepenicker Strasse in Kreuzberg, where his studio is situated in a former warehouse. The contrast could not be more prominent. [...]

News
05/25/00 — “Strand,” from ‘Pole 3’ is now available for MP3 download from our traffic-jam generating MP3 page. You can also hear a Pole cybercast at midnight on May 27 at Betalounge.com.

05/12/00 — The Pole appearance at the Anchorage on the 8th of June now includes µ-Ziq (along with the already appearing Scanner and Granular Synthesis).

12/13/99 — Stefan Betke, Pole remembers 1999 with a noteworthy story: The Fat Cat label in London got a track which was sent in under the name of Pole but it actually wasn't Pole. Pole was in North America touring at that time and Fat Cat thought it is a track by Pole. They pressed it and sent it out into the world and when Pole came back from his tour he was suprised and angry that someone did this under his name. But the the worst thing ever is that the tracks are so bad and has definetly nothing to do with Pole, that Stefan is asking himself does this stupid guy or girl whoever did this understand what he (Stefan) is doing? If someone knows who it was please let us now about this.

Top Music of 1999:
Farben feat. The Dramatiques (Llang Electronic)
Steve Reich - Drummers Drumming
Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music
Kit Clayton (scape records)
Vladislav Delay - hume
Wunder - karaoke kalk
Thomas Fehlmann

Film of 1999:
The Matrix

Book of 1999:
Neue Music Aus Japan by Thorsten Krmer

12/03/99 — Stefan Betke has started his own record label. From the website: "~scape records is a new label from Berlin, which intends to concentrate on exactly this modern city dub. Founded and managed by Stefan Betke who has (under the name Pole) established and developed this sound during the last two years like no other with his releases on Kiff SM and DIN and through various respected remixes." His first release was a 12" by Californian Kit Clayton "Nek Purpalet" this past summer and now a full length LP/CD by Clayton called "Nek Sanalet." Dave Martin tells us it fits into the "Modern city dub" parameters very well. [...]