Biography

Project 223 is the creation of long-term friends and music lovers Lee Grainge and Steve Bicknell. The London-based pair first met in the early '90's. With various encounters along the way, their friendship proceeded to the point at which they began to produce music together in 2012, having shared a studio space at Unit 303 in London's east end.

Even before meeting, Steve and Lee had followed a similar path into producing electronic music. In the '80's, Lee had been a big fan of electro as well as the soul/funk scene; with Steve being into 70's funk, rare groove and Hip Hop. Both were introduced to the revelation of house music in 1987. Shortly after, Lee started working at a UK-based record distributor, buying and selling electronic music at the same time that Steve began promoting a series of seminal, scene-defining events under the guise of 'Lost'. Lee's first productions were as 'Eagles Prey' in '91.

In 1993 both Steve and Lee's musical output was thrown deeper into the world of techno, with Steve releasing tracks through his own Cosmic Records and Lee's various collaborations with Steve O'Sullivan, Mark Broom, Dave Hill and Hazel Bligh finding release on labels such as Human, Pure Plastic, Ferox, Mosaic, Blue Train, Blue Spirit and Green. Lee also worked behind the counter at the legendary FatCat record shop in Covent Garden, which Steve regularly frequented. This led to Lee being invited to play in the purple area of Steve's infamous Lost club nights.

Through the '90s, Steve continued producing and developing his sound under his own name and various guises (The Evader, SB Project and Kim Bilir); whilst Lee's focus shifted in 1999 to concentrate on becoming a sound FX editor for TV and Film.
Bringing the pair's activities up to date, Steve has released on various label's such as Ostgut Ton and Cosmic records, launched his new label 6dimensions, and alongside Luke Slater and David Sumner formed the outfit LSD. Lee has continued to develop as a Sound Assistant and has worked on Feature Films such as Green Zone and Mamma Mia 2 to name a few.

Lee and Steve formed Project 223 to continue the pair's devotion to music and to help share their vision to the world of electronic music.

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