Decoded Magazine is pleased to present an exclusive interview and mix from UK DJ and producer Aubrey Fry, who has established himself as a notable presence in the electronic music scene through his diverse approach to production and performance. His music spans progressive house, techno, and breaks, with releases on respected labels including Sasha’s Last Night On Earth, John Digweed’s Bedrock Records, and Nick Warren’s The Sound Garden.

Fry wrote his breakthrough “Dystopia” EP during the pandemic lockdown while living in the Black Mountains, Wales, which marked his return to music production after a fifteen-year hiatus. The EP’s success on Bedrock in May 2021 led to further releases on the label, including “The Loop” in 2022.

His productions have been supported by influential DJs including Hernán Cattáneo, John Digweed, Sasha, Nick Warren, Dave Clarke, and Guy J. As a performer, he has shared stages with artists such as John Digweed, Dave Clarke, Jody Wisternoff, and Guy J. Fry has developed a particular following in South America, with a notable Argentina tour in early 2025. Looking ahead, 2025 includes confirmed releases on labels such as Seledor, Bedrock, Mango Alley, Balance, and Stripped Recordings.

His approach to DJing focuses on creating what he describes as immersive journeys, moving between deep techno, breaks, and house music to create cohesive sets that showcase his eclectic musical background.

In this exclusive feature, we dive deep into Aubrey’s musical evolution, his production process, and the creative philosophy behind his boundary-pushing sound, accompanied by a specially curated mix that demonstrates his versatility behind the decks.

Your productions often carry an emotional weight, a narrative unfolding within the grooves. How much of your writing is instinctive versus structured planning?

Music production has always been my way of coping with life and processing everything that happens to me. It is where I reflect on the highs and lows, the fleeting moments, and the experiences that stay with you long after they have passed. Writing music is a form of therapy for me. It is the one place where I can completely lose myself yet feel grounded at the same time.

When I start a track, the feeling is usually present from the very first note. There is always some level of planning because I like to map out a rough journey for the track and have a sense of where it might go. However, the real magic always comes from the unexpected. The best moments are often happy accidents that happen when you are so deeply immersed in the process that the music begins to flow naturally without conscious effort.

While there is definitely structure, I always try to leave space for luck and spontaneity. Sometimes I am asked to work to a specific brief, and in those cases a great deal more planning is required. However, when I write original material, I never copy what others are doing. I believe too many people fall into that trap. I always encourage others to be different, to be unique, and above all to be themselves.

You’ve been supported by the likes of Sasha, Digweed, Hernán, and Nick Warren. How do you balance that lineage with carving your own distinct identity?

It is incredibly humbling when artists like Sasha, John Digweed, Hernán Cattáneo and Nick Warren, who have defined the underground scene for decades, support the music I am making. These are people whose records I grew up buying, whose sets I studied, and who ultimately shaped my entire understanding of electronic music.

Having their support is massively validating, but it has never changed my approach to writing music. I have always made music for myself first and foremost. I have never been interested in producing tracks simply to please other people. For me, the most important thing is that the music feels authentic and represents who I am. If it does, then I know I am on the right path.

The fact that these legendary artists appreciate my work reassures me that staying true to my vision is the right approach. It means a great deal to know that the very people I looked up to for so many years now also respect what I do.

You’ve released on some of the most respected progressive and techno labels. What draws you to a label creatively?

I feel incredibly fortunate to have released music on labels such as Last Night On Earth, Bedrock, The Soundgarden and Balance. These are labels and artists who were instrumental in shaping my love for electronic music. I can still clearly remember hearing tracks like Marco Polo’s “A Prayer to the Music” (the John Digweed and Nick Muir remix), or Dr. Atomic’s “Schudelfloss” for the very first time. I would buy 12-inch records from Jimpy at Catapult Records in Cardiff in the late nineties, and those moments opened my ears to a new level of quality and artistry in electronic music.

Hearing such polished and refined productions for the first time was mind-blowing. Up until then, I had mostly been exposed to rave music that lacked the same production values. Once I experienced that level of craft, I knew it was the direction I wanted to take with my own music.

To now be a part of that world still feels surreal. Each label has its own unique identity, and working with them brings out different sides of my creativity. As a producer, it is important to develop a signature sound, but being encouraged to push myself in slightly different directions is what keeps everything exciting.

The days when A&R departments provided strong guidance have largely disappeared. There is now an expectation for producers to deliver fully polished music from the very start. Because of this, creating something unfamiliar and distinctive is my way of cutting through the noise. For me, being unique and fresh is everything.

How does a track typically begin for you?

For me, everything starts with mood. I have to connect with a specific emotion first, whether it is joy, tension, melancholy, or euphoria, and that emotion becomes the foundation for everything that follows. I have always believed that life is best lived on the edge, and I want my music to capture that sense of risk, energy, and release.

When my son was born, I spent the first week at home with him sleeping on my lap while I wrote the track “The Loop,” which was later released on Bedrock. That piece of music contains everything I was feeling in that moment: wonder, love, and an overwhelming sense of change and growth. It is a deeply personal track because it is tied to such a transformative time in my life.

[embedded content]

Finishing a track is always the hardest part because in reality a track is never truly finished. You simply reach a point where you know it is ready to share with the world. Some producers I know continue to tinker with tracks for months, but that approach has never worked for me. I tend to commit to a piece of music once it has reached its natural maturity. Often I will have new ideas for it months later, and sometimes I revisit those ideas many years later when I create a rework or a new version.

Your productions often feel cinematic. Are there non-musical influences that seep into your creative output?

Absolutely. Before I fully committed to music, I worked in the film industry at De Lane Lea in Soho, London. I had the privilege of working on Warner Brothers productions and even working with Hans Zimmer on a few occasions. Being immersed in that environment gave me a deep appreciation for the power of cinematic sound design, and that influence has stayed with me ever since.

That sense of scale, atmosphere, and storytelling is something I naturally gravitate toward when I produce music. I love when music feels like it is telling a story or painting a vivid scene in the listener’s mind. Film has definitely shaped the way I think about arrangement, tension, and emotional impact in my productions.

Recently I was given a brief for a remix that specifically asked for it to sound cinematic. I decided to push myself even further and made the piece even more cinematic than requested, exploring darker and more dramatic tones than I normally would. Taking those creative risks is exciting for me, and it often leads to unexpected and powerful results.

Progressive house, techno, breaks… your music doesn’t sit neatly in any one category. Is genre still a useful framework in 2025?

For me, genre has become less and less relevant as the years have gone by. I do not really identify with any single style, and I find it creatively limiting to stay in one lane for too long. At the end of the day, music is simply music. If it is good, it is good. I consider myself to be completely genre fluid.

Many established artists that I respect feel exactly the same way. John Digweed, for example, releases an incredibly diverse range of music on Bedrock, and that openness has always resonated with me. My focus is always on the emotion and the energy of a track rather than on fitting it neatly into a particular category.

Another artist who has always pushed the boundaries of genre fluidity is Laurent Garnier. His DJ sets have blown my mind on countless occasions. He might play disco, techno, and drum and bass all in the space of two or three hours, and yet it feels completely natural. That is the true art of taking people on a journey. Garnier also releases a wide range of genres on his labels, both past and present, and I have immense respect for that. He is a total legend and a huge inspiration to me.

You recently shared a re-work of Aphex Twin’s “Window Licker” that went viral. How do you approach bootlegs?

I have always loved taking iconic tracks and putting my own spin on them. There is something exciting about taking a piece of music that is already deeply familiar to people and then reimagining it in a way that feels fresh and unexpected. A great bootleg is not about copying the original. It is about celebrating what makes the track special while adding your own identity to it.

My approach always begins with finding the element that makes the original track magical. Sometimes that element is the vocal, sometimes it is the bassline, and sometimes it is a small loop that might only last eight bars. Whatever it is, I make sure that this core element is preserved so that the listener still feels that instant connection. The next step is writing a completely new killer track underneath it that complements the original idea while adding my own flavour.

Recently I have made bootlegs of “Shattered Dreams” with Gai Barone, a Radiohead track, and a Wolf Alice track with my Abandoned Technologies collaborator. All of them are available as free downloads, which I think is an important part of the fun. Bootlegs are like gifts for the people who follow and enjoy your music. They are not about making money but about sharing moments of joy and nostalgia with the people who support you.

Social media can overshadow artistry. How do you navigate visibility while staying authentic?

It is definitely a challenge because social media has become such a dominant part of modern life. I am not the type of person who wants to take endless selfies or document every detail of my personal life. I am a family man, and I have no interest in turning my private world into constant content for public consumption.

For me, the music must always come first. John Digweed once said to me, “Let the music do the talking,” and that simple piece of advice has stayed with me ever since. If the music is authentic and meaningful, it will speak louder than any amount of online posturing.

I have found some practical ways to use social platforms without losing myself in the process. For example, I sometimes share bootlegs via Hypeddit in exchange for follows, which helps with visibility without forcing me to overshare. I prefer to focus on meaningful collaborations and relationships with people I admire and respect. That way, everything I post or share online aligns with who I am as a person and as an artist.

Authenticity is the most important thing to me. Social media naturally rewards vanity and superficiality, and I find the endless posing and pouting into cameras frustrating. I think many people are beginning to feel the same way. If you see a photo or video of me on social media, I am usually sweaty and messy after a gig or covered in whatever the day has thrown at me. That is the reality of my life, and I will always keep it real.

You’ve played alongside giants like Dave Clarke and John Digweed. What have you learned from sharing lineups with them?

Playing alongside artists such as Dave Clarke and John Digweed is always a privilege. They have incredibly strong artistic identities, and simply being around them teaches you a huge amount about professionalism, consistency, and the importance of staying true to yourself. These are people who have spent decades perfecting their craft, and they are the real deal in every possible way.

One of the best parts of sharing lineups with artists like this is the opportunity to meet them properly and build genuine relationships. They have incredible stories and an almost endless wealth of knowledge about the music scene. Listening to their experiences and advice is invaluable.

That said, I still enjoy headlining my own shows the most, particularly when I am playing in faraway places where I can completely put my own stamp on the night without worrying about how my set might fit in with someone else’s. At the end of the day, being an artist is about being yourself. We are not in this to pretend to be someone else. The point is to create your own path and bring your own unique energy to every stage you step onto.

Your DJ sets feel like extended narratives. How do you approach building a set?

For me, a truly great DJ set feels like a story, with a clear beginning, a middle that is full of twists and surprises, and an ending that leaves people feeling fulfilled. The opening of a set is extremely important because it sets the tone for everything that follows. The ending is equally vital because it is the final memory people take home with them. The middle section is where the real magic happens, where you can take risks, change direction, and completely immerse the crowd in the journey.

I come from a vinyl background, so in the early days I used to practice for hours just to make sure everything was tight. Modern technology has completely changed the way DJs can perform. It has made things far more flexible and opened up huge creative possibilities for mixing and layering different genres seamlessly. This suits my style of playing perfectly because I love to surprise people with unexpected transitions and bold gear changes.

CDJs now even provide AI prompts suggesting tracks that might work well with the one that is currently playing. While that can be useful, I think there is something truly special about a completely unexpected change in direction during a set, a gear change. It can completely transform the energy in the room. My sets often move up and down like a sine wave. I love creating that sense of tension and release, of rising energy followed by moments of space and emotion. For me, that sense of journey is absolutely essential.

Sound design is a big part of your aesthetic. Are there tools you return to often?

Lately I have been working a lot with the MiniBrute 2 and Morph 3. These tools are fantastic because they allow you to bring wild, unpredictable analogue synthesis into your productions. They make it possible to create sounds that feel alive, unique, and slightly imperfect, which I think is essential in electronic music.

My process always begins with capturing a strong performance. I will record take after take until something feels right. Once I have that, Morph 3 becomes an incredibly powerful tool for adding textures that can completely transform a track. It is amazing for creating moments that make people’s jaws drop on the dancefloor.

I have always believed that some level of imperfection is important in music. Those small mistakes, happy accidents, and unpredictable moments are what make music feel organic and human. The randomness of analogue synthesis is what allows these surprises to happen. Life is not perfect, and neither should music be. Those imperfections are what make a track feel alive.

The underground scene often talks about “keeping it real.” What does integrity mean to you?

For me, integrity is about being genuine, honest, and never pretending to be something you are not. It means staying true to yourself, making music for the right reasons, and refusing to compromise your authenticity for the sake of popularity or trends. Listeners can always feel when something is real and when it is not.

The moment you start trying to be someone else, you lose the very thing that makes you unique. That is why I believe so strongly in authenticity, not only in music but also in life. The same applies to social media. It is very easy to present a false version of yourself online, but in the long run that only distances you from who you really are.

At the end of the day, I think success means being able to live your life as your true self. If you can build a happy and fulfilling life while staying authentic, that is real success. There is already enough negativity and dysfunction in the world. I would rather focus on being genuine, supporting the people around me, and keeping my art as honest as possible.

Outside of music, what keeps you grounded creatively?

Spending time with my family is without question the thing that keeps me most grounded. Becoming a father has changed my entire perspective on life, and spending time with my son is something I cherish deeply. It reminds me of what truly matters and helps me stay focused on the bigger picture. No matter how busy touring or studio work becomes, making time for my family is always my priority.

I also put a lot of emphasis on looking after my mental health. I am a huge believer in cold exposure and sauna sessions. Whenever I can, I alternate between ice baths and heat for about an hour. It is one of the best ways to reset both mind and body. The natural high you get from combining extreme cold and extreme heat is unlike anything else. It clears the mind and puts you in a completely different headspace, ready to tackle anything.

Food is another passion of mine. Living in Wales and being surrounded by farms means I have access to amazing produce, from fresh fruit and vegetables to some of the best quality meat you can find. I eat steak every single day, and I have a real appreciation for countries like Argentina and Brazil where food, especially meat, plays such a huge part in community and culture. Sharing meals with family and friends is such a simple but powerful way to connect with people.

All of these things help me stay grounded and give me the balance I need to be creative. Music can take up so much of your life that you need to have things outside of it to give you perspective and happiness.

With releases across multiple high-profile labels this year, what does success look like for you in 2025?

Touring has always been my greatest passion, so bookings and international shows are a big measure of success for me. Being able to travel the world, play in new places, and connect with people through music is the most rewarding part of what I do.

This year is shaping up to be incredibly exciting. I will be playing three shows at ADE, including both the opening and closing events, which means I will literally be performing from the very start to the very end of the festival. I also have tours planned in South America for November, with a return trip already in the works for January 2026. On top of that, I have been given opportunities to perform in Sri Lanka, and I plan to head over to Australia while I am in that part of the world.

Alongside touring, I am working on three separate albums as well as various singles and remixes. I love having multiple projects running at the same time because it keeps my creativity flowing.

Ultimately, success for me is not just about releases or bookings. It is about happiness. If I can make music I love, travel to new places, make people happy through my shows, and still maintain balance and joy in my own life, then that is the true definition of success.

Looking forward, what excites you most about the evolution of electronic music and where do you see your sound heading next?

What excites me most right now is the fact that so many boundaries in electronic music are being blurred. Artists are feeling freer than ever to mix genres, experiment with new sounds, and push their creativity without worrying about fitting neatly into a single category. Listeners are also far more open to diverse styles, which makes it a really exciting time to be an artist.

I want to keep exploring that sense of freedom. Recently, I remixed a track for Nick Stoynoff which had a very cinematic brief. That remix will be released as part of an EP alongside work from Alex Banks, who is someone I respect greatly. Projects like this allow me to step outside my comfort zone and push my music into new territories.

Looking ahead, I also want to return to working in visual media. Having previously worked in the film industry, I have always been drawn to scoring for picture, whether it is for advertising or for film. There is something incredibly powerful about combining sound with visuals to create an emotional impact.

On top of that, I have two albums that I aim to finish this year, and a third is already planned for next year. One of my main focuses is a solo album that is starting to take shape. I already have three or four tracks that feel like they belong together as part of a larger project, and I am really excited to see where that leads.

The future of electronic music feels wide open right now, and I want my sound to continue evolving with that same sense of openness and possibility

Follow Aubrey via here for all upcoming gigs, mixes, releases and more

Related