German electronic musician Michel Baumann (also known as SoulPhiction and Jackmate) has died from cancer.
The deep house veteran and co-founder of Philpot Records was reportedly undergoing chemotherapy, though no official statement or cause of death has been released at the time of writing. His storied 22-year career included releases on Accidental jnr, Perlon, Pampa Records, Lumberjacks in Hell, and many more record labels.
Tributes from many of Baumann’s friends and colleagues have poured in on social media.
Truly saddened to wake up to hear about the passing of Michel Baumann aka Soulphiction / Jackmate.
An underground house legend… R.I.P. ? pic.twitter.com/oJc7biUMzr
— Defected Records (@DefectedRecords) May 24, 2021
— PBR Streetgang (@pbrstreetgang) May 24, 2021
RIP Michel Baumann (Soulphiction & Jackmate) who was one of the most consistent, inspiring, thoughtful producers in dance music for a great many years.
— TBM (@Blessed_Madonna) May 24, 2021
As SoulPhiction, Baumann consistently delivered instantly classic tracks like “Mind & Body” and “Love Thang,” while his Jackmate alias delved into the world of techno. His minimal EP Ghetto of my Mind made waves in 2005 and was recently reissued via Bandcamp.
Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Baumann’s eclectic taste included a love for reggae, disco, and hip-hop before the producer and DJ discovered house music in the ’90s. With constant releases throughout his 22-year career, Baumann will be remembered for his contributions to the German deep house and techno scenes.
