There are two monikers you have to take into account when dealing with a certain Austrian who goes by the name of Stefan Schauppenlehner, they are: Burnin Tears and Lee Stevens & the Beautiful People. Both concentrate on House music, yet the Lee Stevens alias takes him into the depths of wonderful disco whereas the Burnin Tears monkier explores the finery of the genre. His talent lies in his ability to drive his material intelligently further than most and in the process creating some wonderful dubs. Point in case is the Burnin Tear’s track “Got a Reason” as the piano and vocals work in tandem to deliver a slow build up whilst sitting on a perfectly flowing synth line. It’s hard to put a finger on moment you release you’re fully immersed on the track, but it happens sooner than you think. Yet on the other side of this you have the more paced and direct approach found in “How I Feel” which drives on with an almighty kick drum and a full array of percussion as the emotionally warped vocals crash through.

There is a certain delight found in listening to his Lee Stevens & the Beautiful People tracks, they often bounce and leap like all good disco tracks should but the restraint is there to develop them without the rehashed cliches. You find it most in “Reaper of Love” with the piano and bass providing the most entertainment – yet it is the swirling synths and effortless vocals that add the extra factor which elevates it above most.

Burnin Tears – Got a Reason (demo) by Lee Stevens

Burnin Tears -How i Feel (demo) by Lee Stevens

Lee Stevens & the Beautiful People – Reaper of love (Diskoblitz demo) by Lee Stevens