Medlar has spent the last decade quietly shaping his own corner of house music, drifting between UK and US traditions, folding in disco, jazz, broken rhythms and the kind of emotional honesty that’s been there since his earliest productions. From illegal raves in the Southwest to a new life in the Caribbean, his work has always carried a sense of curiosity and openness. With his new ‘Celestial Bodies’ EP, he steps into a fresh chapter: spacious, sun‑soaked, collaborative, and rooted in the joy of making music without overthinking it. We caught up with him to discuss the inspirations behind the EP, his move to the Caribbean, making music without overthinking it, and more!

WWD: You started out DJing at illegal raves in the Southwest as a teenager. What do you think those early environments taught you that still shapes your music today?

I have just turned 40 but am still obsessed with it all and think that excitement and curiosity is what keeps us coming back, whether in a studio session or at a gig. And chasing those highs is the reason I still find it all so addictive.

WWD: When you look back at Terrell in 2011, what feels most “you” about that record, and what feels like a completely different person now?

I think there is quite a sweet naivety to that track and quite an emotional feel with the sample used. I still try to keep that honesty in everything I work on but have moved away from such an introspective sound and general way of working.

WWD:Your sound often sits between UK and US strands of house and garage. What draws you to that intersection rather than committing to one lineage?

I really admire artists who stick to one lane but find it difficult. I just like trying to make different sounds, perhaps it is an ADHD trait of which I was recently diagnosed (cliche I know). It has probably been to the detriment of my music career, but I enjoy life more this way and will always make music, however busy I am with work and life. And working towards EPs and albums is a great motivator.

WWD: You have become increasingly active as a mix engineer and producer for other artists. How has working on other people’s music sharpened your own approach?

For life reasons, about a decade or so ago I went for a few years without having many ideas or much desire to create original music by myself but still loved the process of creating in a studio and studying production techniques. A logical thing to do here was to collaborate with other artists and, as well as forming some great friendships, I also stepped into education. Both really made me appreciate the power of collaboration and the concept of workshopping or prototyping ideas early on.

WWD: What is one technical or creative breakthrough you have had in the last few years that changed the way you produce?

I have gone back to a primarily in the box setup in recent years due to relocating to a different continent and had the realisation recently that all of the stuff I have made that has connected the most with people has been made this way. I love playing around with hardware and miss my gear, and of course it sounds great and provides lots of inspiration, but for me it has sometimes also been a distraction.

WWD: This EP spans deep house, leftfield disco, broken rhythms and jazz infused electronics. What was the thread that held these tracks together for you?

Music for outdoors in hot weather. All the tracks were made within a month of moving from London to Grand Cayman in the Caribbean. I did not know what to expect in terms of a scene but there are some great DJs and events, and my usually seasonal music tastes totally shifted to craving deeper, more spacious sounds all the time.

WWD: ‘Solar’ with mtsjungles has a very open, spacious feel. How did that collaboration come about, and what did her vocal unlock in the track?

Portia mtsjungles and I have spoken about making music together for around 20 years and this is the first collab that has made it out there. We lived in different parts of the world for many years but reunited some years back and I knew this demo would be a good fit for her voice. It unlocked it becoming a song, it was just a two-chord loop before she got involved.

WWD: What was your reaction the first time you heard JKriv’s remix and the way he leaned into classic Italian house energy?

I absolutely love it. It is a lot harder than it seems to make dance music with that light, positive energy associated with that era and he has nailed it.

WWD: ‘Destino’ taps into a Balearic tinged dubby house with spoken word from For Mankind. What made spoken word the right choice for that track?

The track began as a dub track around 100 bpm and existed in a few variations before settling in its final form. It started off with Russ at my old flat reading the blurb from a Bobby Fischer book about chess. The energy is inspired by outdoor dance floors such as Plaza Mayor at Pikes Ibiza where I have had the pleasure of playing with For Mankind on a few occasions.

WWD: ‘Rigel’ feels like a late night, heads down moment. Was it always intended as the EPs closing statement?

I think like the other tunes on the EP, it was made out of being inspired to write music for outdoor dance spaces since moving to the Caribbean, and I see the stars every single night hence the name Rigel. I love that slightly ethereal new age nature that is a common thread in a lot of the classic Italian Balearic dance music.

WWD: You are launching a new live hardware show. What does performing live give you that DJing does not?

Hard to put into words but I think performing in a way where you can really impact the energy of a room in such an immediate way is so much fun. I have really missed it since Dele Sosimi and I stopped regularly playing live together. I am currently putting something together with a very limited setup with a MacBook and a couple of synths.

WWD: If you could go back and give teenage rave DJ Medlar one piece of advice, what would it be?

Do not try to do so much by yourself. Trust the process.

WWD: What is exciting you most about house music right now?

Lots of strands and scenes, and lower barriers to access for making music and DJing than ever before. There are things that suck too, but it has always been that way, ignore the noise and focus on what you do.

WWD: Wise words! Thanks for the chat 🙂 

The ‘Celestial Bodies’ EP is available here