Cover Feature – Saytek – Issue 050 –

Saytek is one of the underground’s most respected live techno artists, recently voted once again among the Top 10 Live Acts in Faze Mag’s public poll — Germany’s top dance music magazine. In 2025, he achieved two Beatport number ones and multiple Top 5 chart positions across the techno genres, further solidifying his reputation for powerful, predominantly live-recorded releases that are consistently supported by many of the world’s most influential techno DJs.

A master of fully improvised, hardware-driven performance, Saytek has built an acclaimed catalogue with releases on influential labels such as KMS, Cod3QR, Apex, Soma, Fabric, Bedrock, TRAX, R&S, and more — a body of work developed over years of innovation, not confined to one period.

His live sets have appeared at some of the most iconic institutions and brands in global club culture, including Fabric (London), Tresor (Berlin), FOLD (London), Awakenings, Mysteryland, and Space Ibiza, establishing him as a standout figure in contemporary techno.

Saytek isn’t just performing techno — he’s bringing it to life in real time.

Words By Paul Newhouse

Tell us about Joseph the kid — before the music and before the man.

To be honest, there isn’t really a ‘before music’ for me. I fell in love with it very
young. I was listening to artists like Prince and a lot of heavy metal bands when I
was still a kid, so sound was already a huge part of my world.

I was also a very geeky child — I was into computer programming from an early
age, and I was experimenting with really rudimentary sound design long before I
ever touched electronic music properly. I was making little beats on my ZX
Spectrum, slowing down and speeding up cassette tapes, pulling sounds apart
just out of curiosity.

That kind of inquisitive, hands-on experimenting really predates anything I’d later
call ‘serious’ music production — but in hindsight, it was already the beginning of
what I do now.

What do you do for fun, without music?

Outside of music I’m very much a family man. Most of my real ‘fun time’ is just
hanging out with my kids — belly-laughing with them, being present, and enjoying
simple moments together.

When I do switch off, I’m into detective dramas and that kind of TV — proper downtime stuff. But funnily enough, music still sneaks back in through my family life. My youngest has recently started getting into heavy metal, rock and grunge, so we’ve been listening to a lot of the bands I grew up with — Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, Radiohead, that whole era. Experiencing that music again through him has been incredible — it feels like falling in love with music all over again.

Tell us about your family life.

Like anyone’s, my family life has its ups and downs, and it can definitely be hectic
at times. I’ve got two sons — one is 11 and the other is 13 — so they’re both moving into that adolescent stage now, which brings its own challenges.

Family is my number one priority in life. I genuinely love being a dad and I love
being a husband. No matter how intense touring gets, it’s always an amazing
feeling to come back home and step back into that world — it keeps me grounded
and reminds me what really matters.

When did you first discover dance music, and was it your first love?

I was into music long before I discovered dance music, but I remember being fascinated by it from a very young age. I must have been around seven or eight when early acid house records — and some of the more commercial end of that sound — started hitting the radio.

Not long after that, some of my friends’ older brothers were heavily involved in the
rave scene, and that world completely captivated me. I was listening to this music
at school long before I was even old enough to get into a rave.

I was already getting deep into Detroit techno and Chicago house, taping Colin Dale’s show on Kiss FM, and just imagining what it would be like to actually be part of that culture. I loved the idea of going to raves long before I could actually step foot in one — it felt like discovering a whole hidden universe.

Why live sets and not DJ’ing?

From a very young age I was always more interested in making music that playing other people’s records. By the time I was 13 or 14 I already had synthesizers and drum machines — things like a TR-505 — and I was completely obsessed with producing.

While everyone else was buying decks and building record collections, I kind of skipped that phase entirely. I was far more fascinated by creating my own music and always imagined performing it live.

Around 2002–2003, when the vinyl industry really began to shift and Ableton was
emerging, it suddenly clicked that I could just take my own music out and perform it directly. I already had a lot of hardware, so not long after that I started playing live sets at London free parties and illegal raves — and I absolutely loved it.

Looking back, I really did skip the DJ phase altogether. Live performance has
always been the most natural way for me to express what I do.

You’ve been playing for many years — what changes have you seen: the good, the bad, and the ugly?

There’s been a huge amount of change over the years, but at its core it’s still the same thing — people coming together in a room, dancing to music they love. That part hasn’t changed, and that’s the most important thing.

Social media has obviously completely reshaped how artists promote themselves and how gigs happen. But there’s a positive side to that too. Before platforms like MySpace, Facebook and Instagram, a lot of people didn’t really understand what a live techno artist even was. A few geeks got it, but generally live electronic performance wasn’t widely understood. Social media helped create a whole visible culture around live electronic music.

Genres have changed a lot as well. I’ve kind of gone full circle — I started out absolutely loving techno, then the late-’90s UK tech house scene pulled me in for a while, and eventually I found my way back to techno again.

More recently everything’s become faster and harder. At first I resisted the tempo
increases, but then I found myself in Berlin, dancing at 140 BPM and really feeling it. People were moving differently again — less stomping, more full-body jack, kids really going wild — and it reminded me of that raw, energetic feeling that pulled me into this culture in the first place.

I honestly think underground techno is in a good place right now. There are always negatives you could focus on, but I think it’s important to recognise how alive and
exciting it still is.

You’ve played everything from house parties to superclubs and festivals — what have been your best and worst moments, and why?

People often ask me what my favourite club is, and if I’m honest, Sisyphos in Berlin is probably right up there for me. But I genuinely don’t think it’s about how big the room is or how many people are in it.

What really matters is having a good sound system and people who are truly there for the music — people who are getting lost in it, dancing, going wild, and really appreciating what they’re hearing. Once you’ve got that, it becomes almost inconsequential where you are in the world. You’re in the zone, you’re feeling the vibe, and everything just clicks.

I love techno on a personal level — listening on headphones, getting deep into it — but there’s nothing quite like the collective experience of people coming together and dancing. That shared energy is kind of unmatched.

I’ve played everywhere from basements with 100 people to Rave The Planet with 380,000 people, and honestly, when the crowd is really vibing, the feeling is the same. That connection is what makes a moment great — not the size of the stage.

You were recently voted among the Top 10 Live Acts in Faze Mag’s public poll — tell us about that.

For me this is absolutely huge. Faze Magazine is Germany’s biggest dance music
magazine, and Germany is arguably where techno is most deeply rooted — it’s part of the cultural fabric there, not just in Berlin but across the whole country. To be voted into the Top 10 Live Acts by the German public is genuinely mind blowing. It means a lot to me, and I still have moments where I have to pinch myself.

At the same time, I stay very grounded. I’m extremely self-critical and always
pushing myself to be better, so I don’t let things go to my head — but it really is an
incredible honour.

What gigs do you have coming up, and which are regular fixtures for you?

I’ve already got some really exciting shows in the diary for 2026, which feels amazing. There are some great UK dates coming up — including a Strotown System warehouse party in East London and Move in Exeter, which is a really special small club with a great vibe.

Berlin is always a big part of my calendar as well, with shows at places like KitKatClub and Rave The Planet. I’m also looking ahead to another North American tour — there’s a lot of interest from promoters across the US and Canada.

It’s shaping up to be another busy year, with amazing shows across the UK, Europe and North America already locked in, and I honestly can’t wait.

You are stranded on an Island forever and you have 5 release with you til the end of time, what are they and why?

#1 — Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Vol. I & II
I’m going to cheat straight away. My first pick wouldn’t be a single record — it would be Selected Ambient Works Volume I and II by Aphex Twin. I remember listening to Volume I when I was about 12 years old on my Sony Walkman while it was raining. That record completely changed the way I understood music. I had goosebumps, the hair standing up on the back of my neck — the feeling of euphoria it gave me was unbelievable.

Looking back, it was massively influential on electronic music as a whole. And Volume II is just as important to me — it has some of the most beautiful ambient music ever made, alongside some really dark, unsettling moments. Together they feel like two sides of the same universe.

#2 — Jeff Mills – The Purpose Maker
My second pick would be Jeff Mills’ The Purpose Maker. It’s another little cheat because it’s a series, but I had the Purpose Maker CD and that record was absolutely fundamental for me.

Of course it features ‘The Bells’, which is one of the biggest and most iconic techno anthems of all time, but it’s also packed with beautiful Detroit techno. What I love about it is how much groove, soul and funk it has, while still being incredibly minimal.

A lot of that music would probably even be called house today — but it sits perfectly in that space between deep groove and stripped-back futurism. It’s timeless, and it’s a big part of why Jeff Mills is still one of the most respected techno artists of all time.

#3 — Richie Hawtin – DE9 / Decks, EFX & 909
My third choice would be Richie Hawtin’s DE9 / Decks, EFX & 909. This mix completely blew my mind. I already loved Jeff Mills’ Live at the Liquid Room, but DE9 showed a different kind of precision. It wasn’t quite a traditional live performance — it was more about taking decks and a 909 drum machine and turning existing records into something entirely new.

It’s also a really beautiful journey musically. Techno at that time was deep and melodic, with luscious chords, strong grooves and a lot of emotional depth. It’s a stunning mix and a huge influence on how I think about live electronic performance.

#4 — Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
“My fourth pick would be Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins. It was originally
my brother’s favourite band and album, and now it’s something I’ve been rediscovering with my son, which gives it a whole new layer of meaning for me.

It’s packed with incredible songs — ‘Today’, ‘Disarm’, and so many others — and it just feels completely epic. The Pumpkins’ music has this huge emotional sweep to it, and Billy Corgan’s voice is so powerful.

The combination of heavy guitars, beautiful melodies and even strings gives it a really cinematic, almost orchestral feel. It’s timeless, mind-blowing music.

#5 — Portishead – Dummy
My final pick would be Dummy by Portishead — even though choosing just five feels genuinely cruel. That whole trip-hop movement was incredible — Tricky, Massive Attack, and so many others — but Dummy really stood out for me. It touched me emotionally in a really powerful way.

I was still at school when it came out. Someone gave me the CD and I remember listening to it on my dad’s hi-fi, hearing those huge, slow, heavy beats — which felt completely new at the time — paired with such beautiful vocals and melodies. It really moved me, and it’s stayed with me ever since.

Favourite club and city to play in — and why?

I feel like I’ve almost already answered this one — and the honest truth is that it’s really hard to pick just one. Of course Berlin is always incredible, and places like Sisyphos hold a very special place for me.

But there are so many amazing clubs and cities around the world. For me, it always comes back to the same thing — good sound systems and people who are genuinely there for the music. When that energy is right, you can be anywhere in the world and it feels like the perfect place to be.

Least favourite club or city to play — and why?

I think any artist who’s being honest has had some pretty terrible gigs at some point. The worst experiences are never really about a specific city — it’s about empty rooms.

Techno is still quite a niche world in many places. When you’re playing somewhere
like Berlin, you know the room will be packed. But the hardest shows are the ones where you’ve travelled a long way, promoters have spent a lot of money, and hardly anyone turns up.

Thankfully that’s very rare for me these days — maybe once or twice a year at most — but back in the day it happened constantly. I played hundreds of empty shows early on. And honestly, that’s probably the toughest experience any artist can go through.

What do you think is the future of dance music?

A lot of people talk about AI, but honestly, as real artists, I don’t think we need to be afraid of it. The connection between a real artist and a real crowd is something that can’t be replaced by computers.

That said, AI will probably shape the way music is promoted and distributed. But at its core, dance music itself will always be the same — people coming together in a room to dance.

The underground will always exist, and the commercial side will always exist. What
changes is the scale and the shape around that core. Dance music has always moved in waves — from small clubs to massive raves, then into superclubs, back underground again, and so on.

We’re more than 40 years into this culture now, and it’s still evolving. I don’t think it’s going anywhere.

Fake DJ’s, fake artists and Instagram fame — what are your thoughts?

To be honest, I mostly ignore it. I’d rather focus on the music I love and the scene I’m actually part of. A lot of people — especially around my age — talk about how ‘everything is fake now’, but for me that usually just means they’ve lost touch with the underground.

There was plenty of bad, overly commercial electronic music when I was growing up too — that part isn’t new. Yes, there’s a very glossy, manufactured side to the huge festival circuit, but I’m far more interested in what’s happening in the underground. That scene is still strong, still exciting, and still full of real artists.

The only part that genuinely frustrates me is seeing people — often men — making sexist comments online, or accusing really talented female DJs of being ‘fake’. That really gets under my skin.

Other than that, I think the best thing you can do is stay focused on the music you love, keep supporting the underground, and stay dedicated to your craft and your scene.

Why techno — and not house or trance?

My music definitely sits in techno, but it has a huge amount of house influence running through it as well. House is where this whole culture began, and it’s always been a big part of my musical DNA.

I was never a huge fan of later trance — I found a lot of it quite predictable — although early trance had some amazing moments. But techno was my first real love. It was the music that moved me first, and it’s still the music that moves me the most today.

A lot of my favourite records from the early ’90s live right on that borderline between house and techno, and I think that’s where my sound naturally sits too.

Even though I’ve sped the tempo up in recent years, there are still plenty of house
grooves, chords and shuffle running through what I do.

Mental health is a big issue for creatives — do you have any experience, and anything you’d like to share to help others?

I’ve always been quite open about my struggles. I’m a recovering addict, and I’ve been clean for nearly 17 years now. A few years after getting clean, I was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and having ADHD, which answered a lot of questions about myself and my life.

I struggled with my mental health for a long time — with depression, anxiety, and for many years, full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder. There were some very dark periods. But I’ve done a huge amount of work on myself over the years, including CBT and counselling, and that has completely changed my life.

Both of my kids are neurodivergent as well, so I’m now able to share what I’ve learned with them and help them navigate their own challenges.

Life is still challenging — it always is — but today I genuinely feel equipped to deal
with what it throws at me. If there’s one thing I’d want people to take from my
story, it’s that real change is possible, and getting support can truly transform your
life.

How does Autism fit into the hectic music world you live in

Music is my special interest and my obsession so autism always makes me focus 100% on music. For people on the spectrum working in the field of our special interest is amazing and I feel very fortunate I believe it’s my single mindedness that has allowed me to have this career.

In 2025 you achieved two Beatport number ones and multiple Top 5 chart positions — tell us about that

For me, it’s honestly pretty mind-blowing. I’ve never thought of my music as particularly ‘Beatport-friendly’. Everything I release is essentially chopped straight out of my live shows — it’s raw, performance-driven music.

The fact that people connect with it, that big DJs are playing it, that it gets radio support, and that people are actually buying it means a lot to me. What I really love is hearing my music become part of someone else’s DJ set. I consume most of my own techno through DJ mixes, so hearing DJs take my tracks and work them into their sets — giving them a new life and context — is a beautiful thing.

Any last words?

Just a huge thank you for having me — it’s been an honour and a real pleasure. Big love to everyone who’s been supporting the music. See you on the dancefloor.