Kode 9 is the performing name of Steve Goodman, a UK DJ and producer from Glasgow, born in 1973. He is associated with dubstep and UK garage, and becomes a central figure in the South London dubstep scene.

Career

As a producer and DJ, Kode 9 is closely linked with collaborations with MC the Spaceape, also known as Daddi Gee. He is one of the founders of Hyperdub, the UK label that becomes closely associated with his work. He is also noted as one of the few producers active at the start of dubstep who is not from Croydon, alongside Pinch.

His early production is shaped by jungle, dub, drum and bass, and the emerging 2step garage scene, which he describes as part of the “hardcore continuum”. His first tune, “99”, appears on Katasonix. In 2000 and 2001 he hosts the Hyperdub sessions in London, an early club night that helps push the dubstep sound.

Releases and performances

In 2002, Kode 9 releases “Fat Larry’s Skank” on Tempa, followed by “Babylon” on the same label and tracks on Rephlex’s Grime 2 compilation in 2004. He later releases two albums and features on mix series including Dubstep Allstars and DJ Kicks.

He is also a resident at FWD>> and presents a weekly show on Rinse.

Writing and academic work

Kode 9 is known for his ideas about music and sonic culture, often described through his “memetic philosophy”. He has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Warwick and lectures in Music Culture in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of East London. In 2009, MIT Press publishes his book Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear.