There are many DJs at the top of their game right now, but few names resonate quite like man of the moment, Manchester-born and bred, Josh Baker. With a fanbase like no other, he's cracked the code on how to besot young ravers with his punchy basslines and vocal-driven bangers.
It’s just turned July, and he's already played five gigs across every major club on the island. Apart from every promoter wanting him to play for them, this year, The Baker is running up another one of his coveted You&Me parties, where he has free reign and complete artistic control.
After a sell-out show at Cova Santa last summer, this time he's bringing his You&Me brand to the open-air venue of 528 Ibiza on Sunday 17 August.
A man who spends more time on a plane than on the ground, he's been globe-trotting for the last couple of years, running his own festival Hide&Seek, You&Me parties, new Bakers Dozen label and music production learning programme, SYNTHO.
Yup, he's one busy guy, but he managed to squeeze us in for a catch-up in Marina Botafoch, between flights to OFF WEEK.
Some people may be forgiven for thinking that you're fairly new to the scene, as they haven't seen the work you've put in over the years. What would you say is the most important key to your success we're seeing now?
"I think the phrase is 'delayed gratification'. I wasn't in a rush to try and build a career. At the start, I was really focused on the passion for music; I just enjoyed doing it. And then by default, by putting a lot of hours into making music or finding records, I got better at it.
Over time, I wanted to make it a career, but it wasn't a necessity at the start. It was more of just a dream that I would always hope to reach.
It wasn't like extreme pressure on myself, just being patient and knowing that hard work will eventually result in good outcomes. Just enjoying the journey... I've been doing it almost 14 years, which is obscene. It just seems to have clicked in the last, literally last year."
From establishing your own brand, You&Me, music production, branding, networking, community, social media, how would you rank the top three most important attributes that you need to make it these days?
"It changes all the time. The music first and foremost, is always number one.
here are exceptions to the rule of people who don't have good music and they've managed to build it just off kind of hype and social media, etc. But I think if you look at 90% of artists who have done well, especially the ones that are coming through right now that are killing it, it's because they released big records.
Number two would be your online presence, social media, whatever that is. Because you can make the best record in the world, but, if you don't distribute it and get people to hear it, it can fall in deaf ears.
I would just say number three, is networking, creating community, that kind of thing. So just try and put your face out there, meet people face to face. If you get all those three things fairly right, you're in for a good chance of building something cool."
When you first started out, who did you look up to?
"When I first came through, it was when the Hot Creations thing happened around 2012. It's kind of going back to that now, you know, the tunes we’re all making which are a bit more vocal.
The tunes were a bit slower, more melodies, and it's kind of coming back now. I think we'll get a bit of influence from that, but it's not going to go back to that kind of BPM they were making. I would say the whole Hot Creations crew is the answer the actual question.
Then I kind of discovered Sven Vath and Apollonia. It was a great era of music. It's easy to say that was the best, but I think right now it's hot!"
Did you ever think an Ibiza party would be on the cards?
"The first gigs really were when I was 19, we had a villa for a month, and we were doing after parties every single day. I DJed all day. From those parties, that's where You&Me was born in Ibiza. They weren't like official gigs, but that was my introduction to playing on the island.
It's been the goal since the start, and I've worked towards it. We're not going weekly yet, but we will do when the time's right. Ibiza is our thing, so it's definitely the dream. I don't see why not."
You're now branching into a bigger event space at 528 Ibiza this year. What did you think about it when you played for Rossi last year, and can you reveal any line-up details?
"The Rossi party was really sick! I really enjoyed that. I think open-air parties are always the best, especially in Ibiza.
I think we're actually gonna be doing the main arena as well, the big one. We've sold a shitload of tickets already, so we're in a good position. I think the whole team at 528 are happy for us to do the big area.
Line-up wise, I think we may not be announcing it at all! I just don't see why we need to. You&Me is what's pulling the party, and my name mostly. So I don't know if we'll announce it, we've got some fucking sick artists, but I just think we’ll just leave it, because it's not gonna change anything."
Your rise in the last couple of years has been one of the greatest of any UK producer. Why do you think your sound resonates so well with people?
"I think I've got a good balance between nostalgia and sounds that are fresh. You know, people always look to the past. For example, for Something To Me, Bianca re-sang a '90s Hip Hop a cappella, but it's the bass and synths that sound fresh.
People like to look to the past, but it needs to feel current. I think having lyrics in more recent years helps because people can sing them. They can tell the friend or the song that went like this…
I also like writing original stuff. The tune I've got with Prospa has original lyrics, and Back It Up with Omar+, that has original lyrics."
How has your hometown of Manchester influenced your sound?
"I went to Warehouse Project so much when I was starting out, around the age of 16. There was a club called Sankeys, which was like a real institution.
From The Martinez Brothers to Darius Syrossian and Steve Lawler, it was a real breeding ground for what are now the biggest artists in the world. Carola would do crazy sets with Apollonia. At the time, the scene was very different. There weren't these massive-scale events all the time.
Now, every single week in England, there's a 10,000 cap for the party.
Fashion in the rave was also a big thing in Manchester. There was a shop called Menick Matty in Manchester. Everyone would go and buy their outfits for Sankeys there. We thought that if you go there and buy your clothes, it looks like you understand the music.
There was definitely a dress code for the raves in Manchester."
Is a Josh Baker clothing brand on the horizon?
"I've done the Baker's Dozen merch, which is a side project. I'm into fashion. I like buying nice clothes. But I think I'd spread myself too thin to try and do that. I can't do it all." (laughs)
You seem to have developed a close friendship with your recent collaborators Prospa. Can you talk about the production you have just released with them and also the importance of working with your peers in trying to help push each other through?
"I connected with Prospa maybe six or seven years ago when they were on a bit of a different tip with their electronic kind of vibe. So I met them then, and then I was invited on their Rinse FM show. I played back-to-back with them, and they were showing me some tunes.
I was like, 'Wow, these are cool as fuck.' Like it's crazy, the amount of sick tunes people are making."
"The importance of collaborating with people like that, I think we've really pushed each other forward, we've made some really good tunes together."
Now talk to us about Baker's Dozen.
What can people get excited about with the new label?
"I wanted to start something with a more pop-up vibe.
You&Me has a certain brand aesthetic, a certain level of professionalism it needs to have. I wanted to create something where I didn't have to overthink things. I didn't have to ask people, Can I do this? Can I do that? And I just wanted to do pop-up parties.
So we started off with this idea, let's call it Baker's Dozen. I thought it sounded too obvious. Kurt was like, ‘No, I think that's a cool name.’ I then got a logo made that looked really sick - it has this kind of old-school American diner vibe.
We did a run club. Then we did a pop-up vinyl-only party. Then one in a launderette in Miami, which was insane! Then we did one in Manchester. And we just made this like an all-encompassing extension of my personal brand. It’s more of a community kind of thing.
Maybe an Ibiza pop-up is on the horizon..."
We've been loving your YouTube travel vlog. How do you maintain touring, content creation, music production and your fitness?
"My brother travels with me almost everywhere. He picked up a camera 18 months ago, and I needed someone to come with me on the road. I was already making vlogs myself, and it's not rocket science to learn the basics of creating content with the camera. So, he was willing to take the plunge and, honestly, he's now incredible.
We've just made it part of the flow. It means we've always got cool stuff to post because we're just recording anyway. At the start, it took some getting used to, but we just do it naturally now.
It’ll be a cool thing to show my future kids. Hopefully I’ll still be doing cool shit then, but it's good to get some proof!"
Finally, you can create your dream team line-up. No exclusive fees, unlimited budget, everyone is available; who's opening, headlining and closing? Three names.
"Right, I'll take the back-to-back with Joseph Capriati. I'm going to lunch with him today, but I haven't met him yet! I think he's got real class to any DJs, I love his energy around the decks,
Because of the memories it brought me and the class as well, it would be Apollonia.
And then opening, I'd go for a DJ, who I really believe will be massive - Marsolo."
Congrats on another amazing line-up at the Hide & Seek festival. When did you start the festival? And how do you find running something on this scale?
"We're on year six now, but I think we had to miss a year because of the pandemic.
Fortunately, I've got the best business partner, manager, and best friend in the world, Kurt Hurst. He's an absolute machine; he does the job of like 20 men at all times. So I can't really sit here and say, I do a lot of the work with the logistics, but in terms of programming, we're all in it together.
We have great faith in each other. Kurt, has a great belief in me to drive it forward.
I think a big thing that's helped the festival in recent years is obviously me growing as well, which has given me more reach to shout about the festival. And so we all play our part in helping it succeed. But yeah, it's kind of crazy.
I'm headlining it this year with Prospa back-to-back. So, to go from the bottom of the flyer to now, I'll be closing the Main Stage. I hate the phrase ‘full circle’, it's been so overused, but it literally is."
Josh Baker presents You&Me takes place on Sunday 17 August only.
A limited number of fifth release tickets and backstage passes remain on sale and can be purchased below. Don't delay though. We anticipate these selling out very soon.
For a full list of Josh's other confirmed Ibiza dates (excluding advertised back-to-backs), please visit this page.
PHOTOGRAPHY | by La Skimal
