Electronica duo named after South Shields nightclub to release new album

The duo, who released their debut album From the Old School in 2016 to critical national acclaim, receiving regular airtime on the likes of Radio 6 Music, have announced their latest offering will be their most expansive and ambitious to date.

Band members Graeme Stoker and Steve Key are big fans of the North East dance scene and their lifelong friendship and diverse range of musical DJing experience led to the inevitable formation of Tunnel Club in 2015, named after their favourite nightclub spot in South Shields in the 1990s.

Their new album, Exit Space, is a seven track celebration of their time together and encompasses all of their major influences including ’90s rave, trance, techno, house, garage, breaks, electronica, progressive, and ’90s indie alternative.

Speaking ahead of the forthcoming release, Graeme Stoker, who has to date sold over 20,000 vinyl records globally on his own Energy UK Records label, said: “Our job is to make people smile, dance, throw their hands up into the air and get their rocks off. That’s it, it’s all about the music and the live experience with us.

“Our music doesn’t try to sit neatly in a pigeonhole. It draws on influences from all over the place, but it’s not a game of genre Top Trumps and doesn’t try or claim to be anything in particular. It’s been awesome to see new younger fans of electronic music embrace our music and live shows alongside our friends and purists from back in the day.

“Electronic music by its very nature is what turns us on and that is what we’re trying to embrace with this new album.

“Expect melodies, big kicks and heavy basses. There will be big, long epic tunes that take you on a journey. But the tunes on this record also have their more simple, stripped backed beats. Whatever came along in the studio on that day and felt right.”

Since their formation in 2015, the duo has released six EPs, via their own Tunnel Club Music label.

“Since our early days together, electronic music fans have always been there to support us and enjoy our material,” adds Stephen Key.

“People who clubbed through the 1990s want to hear a style of music that formed the soundtracks to their lives back then, but we also see a younger, local and student crowd at our live events who buy into our unpretentious, dance floor-focused, fun approach to music. This is all reflected in Exit Space. We’re very proud of it.”

Tunnel Club will perform live as part of Northern Exposure club night on November 3 at Little Buildings in Newcastle. Northern Exposure is Tunnel Club’s own series of curated live electronic music events, showcasing the best in live underground electronic and dance music.

The duo have also started a monthly radio programme on Newcastle-based digital station Slink Radio, with two hours a month covering 30+ years of electronic music.

•Exit Space is set for public release on November 30. It will be available on limited edition vinyl and download via all good digital stockists including Apple Music and will be available to stream via Spotify.