Turner Club discuss influences

Turner Club’s Stronger EP, released under their own imprint Turner Club Music (Cat. TCM 002) in mid‑2025, marks a compelling follow-up to their debut Hearts and Minds EP. Building on their distinctive blend of emotive storytelling and textured house grooves, this four‑track release reflects both refinement and soulful progression. 

Originating in the North East of England—both members bring rich musical history to the project. The duo’s band and DJ backgrounds, paired with dancefloor experiences alongside artists like Moodymann, Theo Parrish, and DJ Spinna, inform their musical depth. Their debut EP explored melancholic, ’80s‑tinged house with heartfelt vocals; Stronger builds on this by exploring new stylistic frontiers without losing emotional resonance.

Their writing and production are deeply personal—rooted in memories, life’s ups and downs, and a desire to make music that makes listeners feel. This EP represents both a continuation and a creative breakthrough.

For fans of emotive, thought-provoking house music, Turner Club’s Stronger EP is a resonant, beautifully crafted release that showcases growth, soul, and creative ambition and to top it off legendary dj and producer Craig Smith add’s his own lick to proceeding with an awesome dub of the title track!

Off the back of this release we had the pleasure of sitting down with Nick and Ross to talk through a few house records that have influenced their sound and make them tick. Take it away guys...

Leee John - Mighty Power Of Love (Mood II Swing Vox Mix) (1995) (Nick) 

The minute I hear this track I'm transported back to the Arena in Middlesbrough, where I first started clubbing.  Simon Gibb was the resident and his early influence on me was massive.  I love how the 1st half of the track is an uplifting vocal house number in contrast to the deep driving groove of the second half. Mood II Swing have been a big influence on Turner Club. 

Angel Moraes ft. Sally Cortez - Welcome To The Factory (1995) (Nick) 

I first heard this track on Pete Tong's Essential Mix from Cream around 1996 and I was blown away.  This is one of the first tracks which fuelled my love of deep house music and from then I became a huge fan of Angel Moraes productions.  The way he builds the energy of a track is through the roof, his sound and production was so big you felt it creep inside you on a dancefloor.  I could happily play a full set of nothing but house tracks from this 1994/1996 period and die a happy man. 

Mike Huckaby - The Tresor Track (2011) (Ross) 

Mike Huckaby is probably one of the best producers ever in my opinion.  It was so sad and tragic when he passed away.  We had always wanted to book Mike but regretfully the opportunity never came.  The Tresor Track is such a banger, it's exactly the type of track I wanna hear at 3.30am in a small dark sweaty club.  Just pure mood, feeling and emotion.  Those repetitive hypnotic sounds just floating in and out with the pounding of the beats.  Head down, arse up! Pure bliss.  Detroit Techno at its finest.  RIP Mike. 

Chaos in the CBD - Observe (2015) (Ross) 

To think these lads were only in their early/mid 20s when they came up with this track is insane.  It has such a complex and mature sound, the composition and structure is out of this world.  The jazz keys, how it introduces so many elements as the track goes on, shuffling and dueling with that hook that keeps coming back in.  That bossa nova sound just makes me wanna be on a beach with a cocktail.  The odd part is it's also a banger which could go off in a main room at peak time.  It's no surprise to me Chaos in the CBD have gone on to be so big and play all over the world, they have dozens and dozens of amazing tracks like this. 

Kassem Moss - Workshop19 Untitled B1 (2014) (TC) 

Gunnar Wendel is pretty much a genius, he had been quiet until 2023 in his KM moniker.  They were 6 long years!  This track is one of our favourites by Kassem Mosse.  In a DJ world so fixated on recording a "reel" or "short" for social media with 15 idiots standing behind them with their phones out. It's producers like Gunnar that still gives us hope he makes music for all the right reasons, to inspire and create with no pretence. 

This track takes you on a journey from start to finish.  The elements start to build after that long dubby intro trundles into a grand crescendo of many sounds, drums, and beats enough to take you to outer space.  We are actually sitting together listening to each track as we write up these and both of us are getting goosebumps and we just want to rave.  Genius! 

‍Donnie - Cloud 9 (Quentin Harris Remix) (2003) (TC) 

It would be a crime to leave this track out because of the impact it had on us all at the time.  We pretty much booked Quentin on the back of this track in all honesty, which was his first gig in the UK outside London at the time.  

We made a post recently on instagram about this gig, he played our after party at Fatdogs record shop in Middlesbrough.  This went on until 8am Monday morning until the carpet shop had to open next door, he had his top off and was loving it.  We tried to book him 3 years later and his fee was x5 of what we had paid which is a stark reminder that this dj world rarely does nostalgia when money is involved, but the memory never fades.  An amazing talent. 

Just poetry on a record and still one of the best remixes ever in our opinion. 

The Beloved - The Sun Rising (1989) (TC) 

What can we add really when it comes to this timeless classic that hasn't already been said.  It just reminds us of Ibiza everytime we listen to it, the sunsets, the ambience, that magical feeling only Ibiza has when you set foot on the island.  Even though we were too young to hear it in a club at the time of its release.  An electronic duo whose story and music has inspired us a great deal.  Just utter magic!

Buy/Stream ‘Stronger EP’ HERE

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