It’s a name known to few — unless you are deep in this world of electronic music. Then it’s a name spoken in hushed tones.

Sam Barker is a British producer and DJ based in Berlin. He’s a resident at Berghain, the club known around the world (perhaps more than any other) as defining what is bleeding edge in dance music.

I first heard his music a few years ago and was instantly captivated by his sound and innovative approach. His genre-defying music blends intricate rhythms with deep, atmospheric sound design to produce a futuristic world that is both cold and warm, technological and emotional. He broke new ground by omitting something we all thought was the one constant in dance music — the kick drum.

Such a simple idea, executed with precision, class, and most of all, skill.

Above is a short performance he did at Superbooth in 2023 - an excellent synth festival held annually in Berlin. Below is another side of him, going a bit more ambient with his producing partner, nd_baumecker.