INTERVIEW: Behind the scenes on BARKER’s “WTF”

With a steady stream of releases and a sound that confidently bridges tech house and bass house, Chicago-based DJ and Producer BARKER continues to carve his own lane within electronic music. His recent track, “WTF,” released via Future Cuts, showcased a refined creative identity – blending tension-heavy builds with gritty drops – and offered a clear snapshot of the direction that continues to define his journey. As he sustains a focus on originality within his work, BARKER keeps his motivation high, channelling his creative energy into his evolution and growth on the scene.

We caught up with BARKER to go behind the scenes of “WTF,” diving into the creative choices, studio workflow and personal moments that shaped the release.

Hey BARKER! How’s everything going?

Hey! Thanks for having me – been a crazy last few months but excited for a summer full of late nights!

What was the initial inspiration behind ‘WTF’? Did the idea begin with a groove, a melody, or the vocal hook?

I came to this track in a fit of frustration, actually. The idea began with me regrouping after I heard about some things that hadn’t gone the way I wanted them to. My response was to try and channel my feelings into a piece of music. From there it was honestly just a couple of studio sessions, but the first thing I pulled, from some old sound folders, were the big stabs you hear in the drops, and I just knew I wanted to feature some weird and off-the-wall sounds. The vocal was a lucky find – when I happened upon the sample, I knew immediately it was going to be perfect and gave me the name of the track.

How did your background in Classical music influence the creative direction of this track?

I think probably the most important element in ‘WTF,’ that makes it unique, is that I’m leaning into harmonic language that feels more modal, which I really learned to leverage over the years by studying older styles and learning how to define the mood of a piece of music. That’s why the builds feel so full of tension, and the drops, by contrast, create an even stronger sense of release. By shifting harmonics throughout the track, you can definitely add more personality than you could by relying solely on rhythm and melody to define the vibe.

The track blends various elements — from the driving bassline and wobbly leads to funky piano chords. How did you approach bringing these sounds together?

I really love to bring a real instrument (even when recorded digitally) into my music whenever possible. The piano chords in the builds were the last element I added to the track – mostly because I thought the builds lacked an element to continue evolving the track. A lot of trying to merge these types of sounds is just trial and error, but to be honest, a good piano riff works on any House track.

Were there any go-to synths, plugins, or gear that really shaped the sound of this track?

Some of the more creative tools I used on this track were various FX plugins – a few from Valhalla DSP that I absolutely love for adding a more dynamic soundscape. I also used Clarity FX to clean up elements, both in the vocal and in the piano sample I used for ‘WTF.’

As with most of my tracks, a lot of the sounds here could be recreated in Serum or Ana 2 with the right presets. Ana 2 is one of my favourite tools – it’s great for breaking through creative blocks, especially with how it helps generate chords and melodies. I also used Decimort 2 on the percussion to give it that vintage, record-like feel.

How do you feel this track builds on the groundwork you laid with releases like ‘Rock The Spot’ or ‘Space’?

I think this is another big step in defining my style, which hovers somewhere between Tech House and Bass House. Most of my more recent records deliver an experience that skirts that line, and I’m really pleased with the results on ‘WTF’ as I’ve continued to make changes and retool away from industry standard sounds and move towards something that’s more defined.

How did you approach structuring ‘WTF’ to keep it engaging from start to finish?

The arrangement here isn’t particularly complex – really what keeps things interesting in ‘WTF’ is the unexpectedness of each phrase, which are all littered with ear candy and FX, which really push the envelope for the music I usually make. Given the minimal lyrics and general vibe of the track, I tried to keep builds shorter and more energetic vs drawn out and hypnotic – ultimately, I think ‘WTF’ is all about what you hear in the drops.

For you, how does ‘WTF’ reflect where you’re currently at as an artist?

It’s been one of my first tracks to get some serious major DJ support, which has been awesome to see. Hearing feedback on it when it came out made me feel like I’d definitely taken a big step towards really defining my own lane. I think this track is an amalgamation of both the frustrations you face as a growing artist and the successes you experience while developing stronger production skills. It ended up being a really cool way to express myself – something I can confidently stand behind and say, ‘this vibe is something you can count on me for.’

Has ‘WTF’ found its way into your sets yet? What’s the crowd response been like when you’ve played it out?

Oh yeah, ‘WTF’ is a staple for me in most sets I play, either on my own or in my B2B project DOGGPOUND with Chomper. It’s one of my favorites to play out, as it always gets a fun crowd response and sometimes, I get some folks with bass face in the drops. Couldn’t ask for more than that!

Finally, what’s next for you following this release? Any upcoming projects or shows we should know about?

June is a big month – I’m performing at various Pride festivals in the US, which is always a big honor as a gay artist to be a part of, and I have a party series that Chomper & I have been launching over the last few months called Hotbox with another iteration.

On the new music side, my next release will be a self-released EP called ‘Make Some Noise’ near the end of June which I’m insanely excited about. They’re super unique tracks and some of my favorite projects I’ve made to date. I’ve played the tracks off the EP quite a bit in clubs & festivals and they’re two that always get really strong crowd vibes. That’s coming June 20th – hope you like it too 🙂

From our conversation with BARKER, it’s clear that his process is as intentional as it is instinctive – driven by his passion, musicality, and striving to explore new sonic territory. With more projects on the horizon and a momentum that only continues to build, this Producer and DJ appears set on continuing to challenge his own creativity, aiming to elevate his sound and approach all the while staying true to his own vision and voice within the genre. So, be sure to keep up with BARKER and his upcoming projects and performances by staying connected with him across social media: Instagram | X

Listen to WTF below