In conversation w/ Charlie Sparks
JULY 22, 2025
Charlie Sparks is a London born techno artist who currently is leading from the front with his distinct style and sound. We caught up with him recently to find out more about his meteoric rise to success, what he has planned for his ELEKTRA label and event brand, and his plans for a debut LP in autumn.
How has 2025 been for you so far? What’s been the best moment and worst moment?
2025 has been full of surprises in both my music life and personal life. The best moment for me was when I decided to finally return to the studio properly and work on new productions after such a long time. I am looking forward to showing everyone my new style that I have been developing over the last 3 years. For the worst moment, I think it’s any time that we are 3 shows deep with about 1 hour of proper rest and taking one of the last flights of the weekend, haha.
I understand you studied architecture - is there anything you learnt there that helps with the structure of the music you make, the sets you play? Are there any parallels?
In my opinion, my studies in architecture are one of the main reasons I am who I am today and how I am today. As an architect, you analyse, create, and design spaces in the real world to evoke a certain emotion or atmosphere for the user experiencing the space. It’s the same with producers, DJs, and musicians, but just with sound. When I produce or play a show, I want to create a certain type of emotion and atmosphere through my music for everyone who is listening and experiencing my art. Also, yes, for sure, the structure of how my tracks are produced has been largely influenced by the way you are educated as an architect, every aspect needs reasoning and thorough understanding of why you want it like that and need it like that.
Can you remember the first time you really got drawn into electronic music, which DJ, party, or tune it was? Was there one lightbulb moment for you?
There have been so many moments all during my architectural studies that made it so hard to finish my education first before pursuing a music career, haha. I think the most iconic moments have always been with either Nina Kraviz or Ben Klock. I think there are too many festivals and shows I traveled the world to see them to even note down. The ones that come to mind would be Ben Klock’s Photon night at Printworks or Nina Kraviz closing at Junction 2.
You have had plenty of success quickly and at a young age. How has the journey been from your side, all vibes, or has it ever felt too much or grown stressful with the pressure of lots of ears?
It has been one crazy journey that’s for sure! I have always done this for passion, so the journey, no matter how hard it was at the start, when you are at the aspiring stage, putting in the work every day for small growth has been pleasurable. Of course, when all that hard work is repaid finally through bigger shows and milestones that you wanted to achieve are hit it feels amazing but yes, there are times when you can feel pressured or stressed but I always look forward to those times because it’s only under extreme stress that diamonds can be made. That’s how I like to look at it.
What do you know now you wish you had known when you started, or would share with any other young talents coming up?
Never stop making music, keep a good circle of real friends around you; this is one easy way of not burning out too soon, trust me, and with a strong foundation, the sky is your limit, so work on the basics.
What draws you to the harder and faster end of the spectrum? Is it what you grew up on, or maybe it’s a way of getting out your pent-up energy?
I grew up on drum and bass and tech house, and deep techno, so it was never fast. I think once I started to produce and DJ myself, I always wanted more, and over time, the bpm and energy slowly moved up, and now we are here haha. I love energy. The energy from the music, the crowd, the atmosphere, everything, and for me, the faster pace provides a special energy that you cannot replicate in the lower bpm range genres.
How aware are you of that first wave? Does the history matter, does it inspire you, or are you more focused on the here and now and the future?
Learning is always important, so history is something you should learn and understand, but experiencing is also just as important, and that’s what the future is. So for me, both work hand in hand, understand the history and experience the future to the best you can, and enjoy the process of both.
Is there a different technique to playing hard and fast? If you’re always at a high tempo, where does the dynamism and tension come from that keeps people locked?
It’s a lot more chaotic but controlled mixing if you compare it to deep techno or progressive techno. I think my old drum and bass habits of mixing have helped me shape my style when mixing this faster music. For me, I keep the people locked in by being unreadable and dynamic with my track selections, drop styles. A lot of people always say they don’t know what to expect next, which I am grateful for, as that keeps the curiosity and tension when experiencing my music.
What do you listen to when you want to relax and chill? Do you listen to dance music outside often?
Always haha, I love Tom Odell, Old School Taylor Swift, reggae and jungle, Japanese music, and a lot of country music!
Has there ever been a moment where you allowed yourself to feel like you had made it, or where you felt you were making and playing the sort of music you always wanted to?
This is the thing, life is so fast and you’re touring so much and growing that it’s so hard to step back and look at how far you’ve come. You know you have come a long way, but to take it in is another story. However, there are times when you do, and it does feel amazing. One time was at my Awakening Festival debut when I was walking to the stage because it felt exactly how it was in 2019 when I came as a visitor and said to my friends ‘One day I will play here watch’ and that memory alongside the view of walking onto the booth just hit me like a train and was a amazing feeling.
You have a debut LP coming “Power Up”, in autumn - what was the catalyst for starting that project, the first idea, and how have you developed it?
For me, it’s like in anime when you see the character get a ‘Power Up’, that’s what the whole album is for. It’s to showcase everything I’ve gone through and how my sound and I as a person have developed over these last 3 years touring around the world. It has been developing for some time, but I have finally come to a point where I am happy with the new style and production level, where I can announce it to everyone and really fine-tune the tracks and direction I want to push the album.
Why do an album, not just singles and EPs? Is there still a place for them in the world of Spotify playlists and streaming, do you think?
It will be a trickle effect, so they will come out as small EPs but be a part of a whole album. I wanted to do an album to showcase a wide range of styles which has always been with me. As an artist, I like to blend and mould different genres and make them my own.
Aside from the album, what else have you got coming up/are you working on?
A lot of remixes and collaboration tracks, which I still cannot announce. I am pushing the ELEKTRA music label more now to help showcase young, talented artists who deserve the opportunity to be seen in this crazy scene.
What one thing would you change about the dance music scene if you could?
The hate and judgment from other genre to another genre. All music is beautiful and subjective, just because it’s not what you think it is doesn’t mean someone else should agree with you. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, just like you are entitled to yours.
In conversation w/ Charlie Sparks
JULY 22, 2025
Charlie Sparks is a London born techno artist who currently is leading from the front with his distinct style and sound. We caught up with him recently to find out more about his meteoric rise to success, what he has planned for his ELEKTRA label and event brand, and his plans for a debut LP in autumn.
How has 2025 been for you so far? What’s been the best moment and worst moment?
2025 has been full of surprises in both my music life and personal life. The best moment for me was when I decided to finally return to the studio properly and work on new productions after such a long time. I am looking forward to showing everyone my new style that I have been developing over the last 3 years. For the worst moment, I think it’s any time that we are 3 shows deep with about 1 hour of proper rest and taking one of the last flights of the weekend, haha.
I understand you studied architecture - is there anything you learnt there that helps with the structure of the music you make, the sets you play? Are there any parallels?
In my opinion, my studies in architecture are one of the main reasons I am who I am today and how I am today. As an architect, you analyse, create, and design spaces in the real world to evoke a certain emotion or atmosphere for the user experiencing the space. It’s the same with producers, DJs, and musicians, but just with sound. When I produce or play a show, I want to create a certain type of emotion and atmosphere through my music for everyone who is listening and experiencing my art. Also, yes, for sure, the structure of how my tracks are produced has been largely influenced by the way you are educated as an architect, every aspect needs reasoning and thorough understanding of why you want it like that and need it like that.
Can you remember the first time you really got drawn into electronic music, which DJ, party, or tune it was? Was there one lightbulb moment for you?
There have been so many moments all during my architectural studies that made it so hard to finish my education first before pursuing a music career, haha. I think the most iconic moments have always been with either Nina Kraviz or Ben Klock. I think there are too many festivals and shows I traveled the world to see them to even note down. The ones that come to mind would be Ben Klock’s Photon night at Printworks or Nina Kraviz closing at Junction 2.
You have had plenty of success quickly and at a young age. How has the journey been from your side, all vibes, or has it ever felt too much or grown stressful with the pressure of lots of ears?
It has been one crazy journey that’s for sure! I have always done this for passion, so the journey, no matter how hard it was at the start, when you are at the aspiring stage, putting in the work every day for small growth has been pleasurable. Of course, when all that hard work is repaid finally through bigger shows and milestones that you wanted to achieve are hit it feels amazing but yes, there are times when you can feel pressured or stressed but I always look forward to those times because it’s only under extreme stress that diamonds can be made. That’s how I like to look at it.
What do you know now you wish you had known when you started, or would share with any other young talents coming up?
Never stop making music, keep a good circle of real friends around you; this is one easy way of not burning out too soon, trust me, and with a strong foundation, the sky is your limit, so work on the basics.
What draws you to the harder and faster end of the spectrum? Is it what you grew up on, or maybe it’s a way of getting out your pent-up energy?
I grew up on drum and bass and tech house, and deep techno, so it was never fast. I think once I started to produce and DJ myself, I always wanted more, and over time, the bpm and energy slowly moved up, and now we are here haha. I love energy. The energy from the music, the crowd, the atmosphere, everything, and for me, the faster pace provides a special energy that you cannot replicate in the lower bpm range genres.
How aware are you of that first wave? Does the history matter, does it inspire you, or are you more focused on the here and now and the future?
Learning is always important, so history is something you should learn and understand, but experiencing is also just as important, and that’s what the future is. So for me, both work hand in hand, understand the history and experience the future to the best you can, and enjoy the process of both.
Is there a different technique to playing hard and fast? If you’re always at a high tempo, where does the dynamism and tension come from that keeps people locked?
It’s a lot more chaotic but controlled mixing if you compare it to deep techno or progressive techno. I think my old drum and bass habits of mixing have helped me shape my style when mixing this faster music. For me, I keep the people locked in by being unreadable and dynamic with my track selections, drop styles. A lot of people always say they don’t know what to expect next, which I am grateful for, as that keeps the curiosity and tension when experiencing my music.
What do you listen to when you want to relax and chill? Do you listen to dance music outside often?
Always haha, I love Tom Odell, Old School Taylor Swift, reggae and jungle, Japanese music, and a lot of country music!
Has there ever been a moment where you allowed yourself to feel like you had made it, or where you felt you were making and playing the sort of music you always wanted to?
This is the thing, life is so fast and you’re touring so much and growing that it’s so hard to step back and look at how far you’ve come. You know you have come a long way, but to take it in is another story. However, there are times when you do, and it does feel amazing. One time was at my Awakening Festival debut when I was walking to the stage because it felt exactly how it was in 2019 when I came as a visitor and said to my friends ‘One day I will play here watch’ and that memory alongside the view of walking onto the booth just hit me like a train and was a amazing feeling.
You have a debut LP coming “Power Up”, in autumn - what was the catalyst for starting that project, the first idea, and how have you developed it?
For me, it’s like in anime when you see the character get a ‘Power Up’, that’s what the whole album is for. It’s to showcase everything I’ve gone through and how my sound and I as a person have developed over these last 3 years touring around the world. It has been developing for some time, but I have finally come to a point where I am happy with the new style and production level, where I can announce it to everyone and really fine-tune the tracks and direction I want to push the album.
Why do an album, not just singles and EPs? Is there still a place for them in the world of Spotify playlists and streaming, do you think?
It will be a trickle effect, so they will come out as small EPs but be a part of a whole album. I wanted to do an album to showcase a wide range of styles which has always been with me. As an artist, I like to blend and mould different genres and make them my own
Aside from the album, what else have you got coming up/are you working on?
A lot of remixes and collaboration tracks, which I still cannot announce. I am pushing the ELEKTRA music label more now to help showcase young, talented artists who deserve the opportunity to be seen in this crazy scene.
What one thing would you change about the dance music scene if you could?
The hate and judgment from other genre to another genre. All music is beautiful and subjective, just because it’s not what you think it is doesn’t mean someone else should agree with you. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, just like you are entitled to yours.