There are artists whose presence behind the decks feels technical, even impressive. Then there are artists like Guy J, whose presence feels otherworldly. It feels like you’ve been taken into a world that is no longer governed by general laws of club physics. Over the years, watching him play has often felt less like witnessing a performance. Its more like being pulled into a deep, inescapable current in the sea of progressive sounds.
Known to fans, as “God J” for his almost supernatural command behind the decks, he is an artist whose reputation has been built on emotional weight, utmost patience, and an unshakeable trust in feeling the right note. In an exclusive conversation with EDMNOMAD, it became clear that his relationship with music has always followed its own internal logic.
The Constant
Progressive house, a genre that once existed on the margins of club culture, now occupies a far more visible space. The infrastructure now is larger, the audiences are broader and the expectations from them? Well, much louder. The tension lives right there: How does an artist protect emotional honesty when the genre itself becomes a global product?
“I always stay true to doing what I feel in the studio and I think this is something that didn’t change since I started.” he says. It’s a deceptively simple statement, but it sure carries the weight of his entire career spanning from his 2008 debut album Esperanza on John Digweed’s Bedrock Records to his recent contribution Alive Again to Cocoon Recordings’ 25th anniversary compilation.
Feelings, when it comes to music, don’t scale. They don’t globalize. There’s no grey area. They either exist or they don’t. And for Guy J, that’s where the work begins. Over time his music became sharper and more sensitive. More aware of when to move forward and when to hold ground.
“My sound developed as I developed as I always learn something new. Also, I am lucky to be inspired a lot to try different stuff in the studio. I would say traveling is the most inspiring thing there is for me. And there are some gigs that became key moment that elevated the way I produce music.” he says.
Knowing When To End And Welcome Liberation
Guy J’s record label, Lost & Found, was launched in July 2012 as a Bedrock sub-label, providing a platform for his unique progressive and deep house sound and releasing music from artists he supported. The label ran for a decade long. One hundred releases. Then, intentionally, it stopped. To his fans the decision felt radical.
“The label had a unique aura to it,” he explains, “And in order to keep it, it had to finish on its best moment. I felt the window of closing it at the right moment was closing down so it needed to be on its hundredth release.” There’s a certain symbolism in that number, but more importantly, there’s awareness. “Closing Lost & Found felt like closing a chapter for me, closer to the feeling of liberation.”
Worlds Within Worlds: We Are Lost
What followed Lost & Found was the continuation of the same emotional language into a physical space. We Are Lost emerged as a touring festival that translates the label’s intimacy into a physical community. “We Are Lost is the result of my growth along with other amazing artists in the scene I belong to,” Guy J explains. “And also Lost & Found is something that is still living through it, as it wouldn’t start without the success of the label.”
The concept has now become a curated space that travels with him. We Are Lost has taken place across Mexico, Argentina, the United States, Chile, Canada, Hungary, Sri Lanka, and beyond. At Amsterdam Dance Event, the concept translated into a sold-out showcase alongside peers like Eichenbaum, Guy Mantzur, Franky Wah, Hedda Stenberg, Kevin Di Serna, and Sasha.
In early 2025, We Are Lost brought its signature blend of house music to Australia. They staged shows at Sydney’s Roundhouse, Melbourne’s South Beach in St. Kilda, and Perth’s Port Beach Brewery. Each location brought its Progressive Aussie context to the music, but the emotional through-line remained constant: immersive journeys that feel both communal and deeply personal.
“There is a special connection between the people and the music in that scene. It’s more than music and We Are Lost is something that put all of this in one place.” Guy says.
Different Stages, Shared Language
Speaking on his experience playing at ADE this year he says, “It was WOW, I love ADE so much and I love working with the team of WATT events. I’ve been going to ADE for many years and every year it feels more special. It’s not only about the number of people, it’s the love for the music that becomes more intense.”
During Amsterdam Dance Event, We Are Lost became a key highlight, with passionate crowds and sold-out rooms proving the enduring appetite for emotionally charged sets.
At the same time, emerging festivals offer a different kind of creative opportunity. Guy speaks highly of Balance Croatia, a boutique progressive house retreat in Tisno. The festival is curated by Melbourne-based Balance Music. It is the same imprint behind the Balance Series, which has spanned over two decades of progressive and melodic mix. Their compilations feature artists like Jamie Stevens, Tim Green, Eelke Kleijn, Nicholas Rada, Jeremy Olander, Patrice Baumel, Anthony Pappa and many more.
Returning for its second edition from August 6–10, 2026, Balance Croatia has once again assembled a powerful lineup with returning names like Guy J, Guy Mantzur, Hernán Cattáneo, Sasha, John Digweed, and Nick Warren, plus a host of international talents across its five immersive days and nights on the Adriatic coast.
“Balance is at its first steps and I think it was a mega success,” Guy J reflects. “I believe it is something that is going to stay with us and could become something like Loveland“. For context, Loveland is the Netherlands’ longstanding house and techno institution. It began in 1995 and its held annually at Sloterpark in Amsterdam.
Journey Through Sound: Global Underground
Guy J’s recently released GU48: Córdoba for Global Underground (November 2025) which represents another chapter in his journey. The mix feels especially personal, tied to Córdoba, Argentina, where he has built a devoted following. So much so that during the photoshoot for the compilation, he stopped traffic as fans approached for photographs and autographs.
“I wanted to put the listeners of my Global Underground mix through what music means to me,” he says. “And I didn’t want it to be another mix that has just a club mix. I wanted to create a journey through the importance of music and that’s why I chose to do a downtempo mix and a club mix.”
Released in two parts, the mix follows acclaimed, chart-topping entries by some of the most influential artists in electronic music. They include Danny Tenaglia, Joseph Capriati, ANNA, Sasha, Amelie Lens, Solomun, John Digweed, Deep Dish and others. Artists featured across the two mixes on GU48 include James Holden, Cornucopia, Patrice Baumel, Ryan Davis, Zoe Durrant, Pig&Dan and several exclusive new tracks from Guy J himself.
Artists, Instinct, and the Long View
For curating lineups and championing talent, Guy J’s criterion is straightforward: authenticity. “I look for people who do music from their heart,” he says. “Each DJ on the lineup is a DJ that has something unique if it’s how they play or what they play.” This instinct has guided his support for artists like Mike Rish, whose work he describes as immediately captivating. “Mike’s music is amazing and I fell involved with it soon as I got to hear it,” he explains.
“After you listen to more music from the same producer you can sense that they are true to their craft, and this is what I love about the producers I get to work with.” That perspective is reflected in the way We Are Lost events blend established icons with rising artists.
When asked about the current surge of progressive house from niche culture to global phenomenon, Guy J remains notably untroubled. “Non-original music is everywhere for the last years since it became easy to just make music, regardless of genre.” he says. But he’s quick to point out the other side of that equation. Accessibility has also exposed hidden talent, giving voices a platform that might never have existed before. “I think there is nothing to be concerned about. Just enjoy the moment.” he says.
In a world of algorithms and templates, Guy J remains guided by instinct, shaped by travel, and committed to the feeling that started it all. That hasn’t changed. And in progressive house’s current moment of global visibility, that constancy might be exactly what the genre needs most.
Guy J GU48: Córdoba is out now across all formats on Global Underground. One can Buy or Stream the latest album here.
