Returning to the studio after a four-year break, Steve Lawler makes a thunderous comeback with ‘Pegasus’ on Franky Wah’s SHÈN Recordings.
Steve Lawler is a globally respected artist and label head whose underground sound has always straddled house and tech with a fresh edge. With a career spanning over three decades, he’s played major clubs and festivals worldwide and released on top labels while also running his own group of labels, VIVa MUSiC, and holding down several key residences. These days, he is busy with his PENDULUM event series spanning Miami, New York, London, and Tulum, which concentrates on long extended sets in the face of the current fad of short, visual heavy experiences.
Lawler says of the new single, “Just like the constellation, dark but beaming with light – ‘Pegasus’ hits you in all the right spots.”
‘Pegasus’ has an absorbing atmosphere from the off with mid tempo drums and bass moving things along beneath synths that swirl around like search lights from a helicopter above an urban metropolis. Spoken words drift in and out of the mix to bring cinematic tension, and after a spine-tingling breakdown, the drums drop again, ensuring take off in the club. It’s a peak-time weapon forged from shadow and starlight.
You can now listen to the full premiere of ‘Pegasus’ exclusively on When We Dip. Plus, we sat down with the legend to discuss his thoughts on the scene, the story behind the new track, and what’s coming up next. Enjoy!
WWD: Hey Steve! How are you? How has summer been treating you so far?
I’m really well thanks! Summer has been great so far thank you!
WWD: Where in the world are you currently answering this, and what bought you there?
I’m at home in Miami, where I moved back in 2021. I wanted a change of scenery from grey damp England, so I followed the Sun and it lead me here.
WWD: What are your thoughts on the current electronic music and party scene? Has it changed a lot and if so for better or for worse?
All I am going to say is it’s changed so much that it is un-recognisable from the underground scene I got into. But that doesn’t mean it’s worse, it’s just different. Electronic music was being pushed and pushed to get from the independent passion driven industry it once was, to now becoming a fixture and leading source of commercial music. A lot of people I know in the business have worked tirelessly and very hard to get the business to where it is today. We can’t and shouldn’t complain of success, it’s a mean feat what the music industry combined achieved. But what followed was massive monopolization because now it’s the big companies that own everything.
As far as how it is for the consumer, the punter, well they will never get to experience now either the exciting illegal rave culture from before. Following convoys to secret parties with thousands of people, or the incredible club scene that evolved after it. Now what you have is festivals, big shows and VIP clubs. Festivals and big shows are as much now about the production of the party as they are the music. Some parties it’s very much more about the “show”, the production, stage fx, big screens etc. Festivals are all about the stages, the DJ is now merely a ticket selling performer, which would come from commercial music success. And they stack em in, so djs play for an hour which to me is crazy! You can’t dj for one hour! Hahah.. what they do is perform on stages like a pop star. That’s not DJing to me.
Now if you want to be a BIG DJ, write commercial music as it’s the only way. It is literally the only way, just like the commercial pop world. It’s no different now at all. Where the scene I grew up in was about DJ’s and the biggest acts were literally the best skilled DJ’s who could be trusted to take you on a whole night musical journey. It’s just a different world. The underground
electronic music scene left us a long time ago but post covid absolutely closed that door. For myself, my preferred venue to DJ’ing is small intimate clubs for more mature VIP audiences that actually know where the best parties are at! Where you’re not just in front of a sea of cameras. People actually dance and let loose.
WWD: What kind of events did you sink your teeth into during your youth that guided your musical hand?
I started out playing raves, just raves as that’s where DJ’s played in the early 90’s when I started DJ’ing. But I cut my teeth at my residencies, where I would play the same club once a month and I would play between 4 -8 hours, that’s how you fine tune your craft as an actual DJ
WWD: What artists have you got your eye on at the moment in no specific genre?
Hahah, I’m actually not going to share any new acts coming through at the moment, because normally when I share an act they get snapped up, and I have my eye on a couple of acts for my management company TalentF1rstManagement!
WWD: What do you do to relax outside of the studio?
Smoke a joint, chill by my pool and write. All while listening to ambient & chill out music. I live in the sun & by the sea so I also spend a lot of time on the water these days either on my boat or jetski.
WWD: What was the last record that blew you away?
Sebjak – ‘Vieux on Bibliothèque’
WWD: You’re back with a new single ‘Pegasus’ on Franky Wah’s SHÉN label – how did the collaboration come about and what was the inspiration behind it?
I felt the need to start writing music again. The last time I was actually in the studio writing music was back in 2021 but that didn’t last. It was a weird time and for me writing music is about a creative process which I enjoy but that comes fluently when your mind is at peace. 2021 was hardly a peaceful year. I had music come out in 2021 and 2022 and even 2023 on Dirtybird but all those tracks were written in 2021. I don’t even know why I was making music back then, looking back it felt fake. Like I was writing it for the sake of it. Not my best work. Now I’m writing the best music I have ever written.
As far as the inspiration for the track, I actually was super close with someone I thought was a real friend and they did a complete U turn and went very weird and exposed themselves for just being about what they can get from you, as opposed to being a true friend. That hurt, hurt real bad. At this stage in my life I don’t expect to make such bad judgements on people and I need to be more careful. Anyway, that’s where ‘Pegasus’ comes from, dark but finding the light.
WWD: What else do you have planned for the rest of 2025 that you can share with our readers?
I’m just finishing off a new single called ‘Love Cares’ which is really something I can’t wait to share with the world. I brought in a vocalist for the track, Kala Shaw, who has done amazing with the song she wrote over the top, she really felt and got the emotion of the record. Aside from that, keeping my touring nice and easy, I like to keep a work / life balance now and am very picky about where I play and how many times I will play out a month. Life is peachy.
WWD: We can’t wait to hear it! Thanks for the chat 🙂
Release Date: July 25th, 2025. Buy Here
Steve Lawler: Instagram // SoundCloud
SHÈN Recordings: Instagram // SoundCloud