Josh Baker on His Journey From Manchester’s Underground to Global Festivals [INTERVIEW]

In October 2025, we sat down with Josh Baker for a special print edition of We Rave You Tech magazine. Here is the full interview.

There’s a certain patience to the way Josh Baker approaches music, a sense that every record he plays, every artist he supports, and every night he curates has been built brick by brick.

From Manchester’s basements to Berlin’s after-hours, Baker has shaped his reputation not through spectacle but through persistence. Over the past decade, he has become one of the UK’s most quietly influential figures in underground house and techno, balancing the precision of a selector with the vision of a curator. His imprint and event series, You&Me, has grown into a benchmark for the city’s modern club identity, rooted in community, stripped of pretense, and guided by an unspoken code of authenticity that defines Baker’s approach both behind the decks and beyond them.

We Rave You Tech: You started out with garage and DnB before house took over. What drew you to house music, and how did early raves shape your direction?

Josh Baker: It was just mates at the time, discovering more house music. Back then, Jamie Jones with his label Hot Creations was really coming through with a fresh sound, and it felt like there was more to explore and discover compared to what I was listening to before.

My early raves in Manchester were a big influence too. Sankeys was an institution, a proper education. Something about house just clicked for me. Even looking back, I always gravitated towards old 90s house as much as drum and bass, it just lit something up inside me.

We Rave You Tech:  From £20 generator parties to international gigs, what key lessons from those DIY beginnings still guide you?

Josh Baker: Those DIY parties taught me that you can’t cut corners. You have to put in the work, be hands-on, and stay creative with limited resources. Back then, it was all about making things happen with what you had, and that mindset has stayed with me. No matter the size of the stage, that same energy and work ethic is what gets you further.

“Those DIY parties taught me that you can’t cut corners. You have to put in the work, be hands-on, and stay creative with limited resources.”

We Rave You Tech:  How do you balance being a DJ/producer with running labels, a festival, and an academy?

Josh Baker: Balancing it all comes naturally because I genuinely love it. From the music side to fitness and business, it never feels like a chore. I probably spend most of my waking hours doing something connected to it, but when you have a strong team and real passion driving you, it doesn’t feel hard to manage.

We Rave You Tech:  What does your production process look like, and how do you stay creative when hitting a wall?

Josh Baker: These days, I keep it simple. I sketch most of my ideas on my laptop while travelling, usually a 32 or 64-bar idea, and then bring it into the studio, often with a vocalist or collaborator. From there, it develops into something more polished.

I’ll take the tracks back on the road, test them in clubs, tweak, and keep building. I share a lot of snippets online to get feedback, too. I used to be very rigid with routines in the studio, but now I prefer to pull inspiration from different places and moments, and let the ideas flow more naturally.

“I used to be rigid in the studio, but now I let ideas flow more naturally and pull inspiration from different moments.”

We Rave You Tech:  What inspired you to start SYNTHO, and how has teaching shaped your own approach to production?Josh Baker: The idea came from wanting to create what I wish I had when I started. Back then, it was hard to get real insight from the artists I admired. With SYNTHO, I wanted to bring those golden nuggets straight from touring DJs and producers to the next generation.

Instead of spending years in courses that don’t always focus on writing impactful tracks, SYNTHO gives direct, practical knowledge that can actually push you forward. Sharing my own methods and hearing how others work has also kept me sharp, and it’s definitely shaped how I approach my own music.

Q.7 Rapid Fire

• First piece of gear you ever bought? Korg Minilogue.
• One plugin you can’t live without? Repro 5.
• Festival or club gig, what do you prefer? Festival. Headlining big stages with huge production is still new to me, and it’s unreal.
• One upcoming artist everyone should check out? J Wave.

One piece of advice you’d give to your 18-year-old self? Have more fun, trust that your older self will work hard, and maybe party a bit harder.