Berlin-based DJ and producer Sam Barker explores the outer limits of dance music, both as a solo artist and as half of the duo Barker & Baumecker. A longtime resident of the prestigious club Berghain, he is also the co-founder of Leisure System, an event series and record label dedicated to pushing dancefloor experimentation. While his work with Andy Baumecker typically consists of hard, intricately designed club techno, his solo output as Barker, such as the 2019 full-length Utility, is a singular brand of shimmering ambient techno that often shuns kick drums. He returned to more beat-forward material with his 2023 EP Unfixed.