Low Steppa Brings His House Sounds to Miami

For the uninitiated, Low Steppa is a William Bailey project. The British DJ and producer has crafted house music staples for over 15 years under a slew of pen names. After adopting the Low Steppa persona, his releases eventually became synonymous with London-based label Defected Records and their modern, soulful twists on classic house music.

Bailey is no stranger to Miami, either. He's a Music Week regular, having played at the Sagamore and the Surfcomber. On September 13, Bailey returns for his Floyd debut, on a lineup touting techno legend Robert Hood and Miami's very own Nicole Gallamini.

New Times caught up with the mastermind behind the Low Steppa project just ahead of his return to chat about his live approach, what it means to be part of Defected, and the success of his most recent collaboration.

This upcoming Floyd set won't be created in advance. Instead, Bailey will rely on years of experience reading the room to curate his blend, actively evaluating the collective experience on the dancefloor as it unfolds.

Improvisation informs every show Bailey plays. "There are a few factors. It might be like what the person before me is playing, and then I can kind of survive, too. Maybe in Miami, I'd want to play a bit more Latin or tribal, depending. But I always know what to play. I suppose I'll never plan anything. I have tried, but it doesn't work for me," he reveals.

Understanding the crowd's mood helps a DJ manage the groove. To Bailey, this is his primary goal. The groove is the underlying essence of all music, especially house. It's what inspires us to smile when an earworm wriggles its way inside our minds. It's what helps our bodies move with the music, even when we aren't familiar with the song. Bailey fears that the component is now harder to hear. "The sound, and the sound design in a lot of music right now, hasn't got a groove. It's not based on a groove," he explains.

He doesn't eschew trends entirely. He’s found plenty to love. However, as BPMs inside festivals and clubs continue climbing, the groove occasionally gets lost in the mix.

Bailey recalls slower records, like the perennial “Benediction” by supergroup Hot Natured and vocalist Ali Love. Staple tracks like these point to a different time, when Balearic house created by way of Ibiza dominated. Tracks containing these slower, deeper sounds took their time teasing out your energy. Meticulously undulating seduction took precedence over more explosive forms found with faster sounds.

He also prefers intimate venues. "I think you can have amazing moments at a festival, but there's going to be a lot of people there who were there because they've gone with someone else who's going, or they might not know who you are, but you could still slash it. I'd like to think in a small, intimate club, everyone is there for the music. Doesn't matter if they still know who the DJ is. And that's the real vibe for me, even though I've had amazing times at festivals all around the world."
"That's what great DJing is, I think, making it feel like there's 10 people in a kitchen, even if there's 1000." Intimate venues where clubbers can let their guard down and surrender to the music are where Bailey cut his teeth and the relationship between him and Defected began.

He always dreamed of seeing his name on the Defected roster. As a longtime fan well before his career took off, he knew the label would provide breathing room to create on his own terms. Becoming one of their mainstays still feels like quite the surreal accomplishment. "I'd always bought the records and played the music, so it was quite exciting when I got my first few Defected shows."

​Since then, the Low Steppa project has cultivated a reputation for turning out Defected parties from Ibiza to Croatia. "Being part of Defected is just really special. I suppose it's just like having another family." It's a relationship that feels natural to continue cultivating.

At the beginning of April, Bailey and rising high-flyer Capri released their collaborative effort on Defected, "Got the Funk." Their meticulous timing allowed the track to cultivate momentum before exploding over the summer. At 128 bpm, the track isn't too fast or too slow. The speed is just right, allowing tension to disappear from your shoulders as your body loosens to explore the explosive, albeit hypnotic flow. Bass oscillations and a catchy vocal sample imprint on your mind while listening. It’s easy to hear why the track blew up.

Bailey wasn't expecting it to happen, though. "The most beautiful thing is the mixture of DJs that have been playing it. There's even a dubstep DJ playing it the other day, I think he was playing at 140 [BPM]. I'm so grateful they played it," he recalls.

The genre crossover speaks to the staying power Bailey ceaselessly maintains. His music extends beyond boundaries while paying homage to the house music conventions that make the genre so beloved and timeless.

Defected. With Low Steppa, Robert Hood, and Nicole Gallamini. 11 p.m. Saturday, September 13 at Floyd, 34 NE 11th Street, Suite B, Miami; 786-357-6456; floydmiami.com. Tickets from $10 are available at dice.fm.