Ryan Crosson is a Metro-Detroit electronic music producer and DJ who also releases music under the Berg Nixon name. He begins producing in 2003 after several years of DJing, drawing on minimalist and techno-oriented influences including Plastikman, Matthew Dear, Stewart Walker and Magda’s DJ sets. His work focuses on percussion-led programming, dubby basslines and darker atmospheres, and his stated influences also include Ricardo Villalobos, Guido Schneider and Troy Pierce.

Early work and releases

Crosson grows up in Metro-Detroit and starts making his own tracks in late 2003 after first discovering electronic music in his late teens. He is soon noticed by the Detroit label Beretta Music, then signs to Cologne-based Trapez Limited about a year after he starts writing music. His EP Say So is released on Trapez Limited and receives a positive response. Around the same period, he also puts together a four-track MP3 EP for Montreal net label Archipel.

Compilations and performances

His music appears on various-artist compilations for TicTacToe Records and Year of the Machine Recordings. In summer 2005, he plays his first international dates with live performances in Berlin and Cologne.

Style and outlook

Crosson works within minimal, minimal techno, tech house, techno and house. His early development is marked by a strong studio work ethic and a focus on detailed rhythm, bass and atmosphere, with an interest in building a small number of label relationships that allow him to develop his sound further.