Influences: Nautica (UK) Retrace Five Records That Shaped Their Sound And Club Identity
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Nautica return to 8bit with the release of their ‘Do Anything’ EP, a groove-led four tracker built around control, movement and long-form dancefloor flow. Landing at a moment where the UK duo continue to sharpen their identity through releases on labels like PIV, Solid Grooves and 8bit itself, the project reflects nearly a decade spent refining a sound rooted in subtle evolution rather than quick impact.
For this edition of Influences, Josh Lewis and Caolan Savage dig into five records that helped shape both their production approach and their understanding of the dancefloor. From timeless emotional electronica and classic piano house through to rolling tech house weapons that still dominate their sets today, the selections offer a clear insight into the records that continue to guide their musical direction.
Moby – ‘Porcelain’
Impossible to look past Moby when talking about inspiration. Taken from his seminal album Play, one of our favourite albums of all time, this record has it all. From the emotional strings to the lead vocal from Moby himself, it is hard not to feel something listening to this one. The sampling is genius and the songwriting feels completely timeless. It is not exactly a club record, but undeniably one of the greatest electronic tracks ever made. There is a real sense of emotion and atmosphere in it that has definitely stayed with us when thinking about how music connects with people beyond just functionality.
Johnny D – ‘Walkman’
This one holds a special place for us. Proper underground tech house from 2007 and a record that has never really left our bag since we started playing together nearly ten years ago. Loopy drums, a hooky vocal and a lead stab that cuts through on any dancefloor. It works in warm-up sets and peak-time moments equally well. Almost twenty years on from its release on the legendary 8bit Records, it is still the standout release from the label for us and one of the records that genuinely made us fall in love with the imprint. To now be releasing our second EP on 8bit all these years later feels surreal. Back at university we became obsessed with this track and it completely changed the game for us in terms of understanding groove and repetition.
Modjo – ‘Lady (Harry Romero Remix)’
Harry Choo Choo Romero is house music royalty. This remix keeps everything that made the original Modjo version timeless, but adds these chunky, rolling drums that absolutely explode on a big soundsystem. It is the perfect closing record. When the lights come on at the end of the night, this track never fails. One memory that always sticks with us was playing it at the end of our Liverpool residency after Chris Stussy. Around 1,500 people singing every word back during the breakdown. Proper emotion in the room. It is one of those records that reminds you how powerful house music can be when a crowd is fully connected.
FPI Project – ‘Risky’
I will always remember my Dad showing me this track for the first time. He used to tell me stories about the 90s rave scene around Liverpool and Manchester and how crazy the reaction would be when the piano kicked in. That instantly stuck with me. The vocal samples throughout the track are so clever and the synth hooks are unforgettable. More than anything, this was one of the records that introduced me to the wider history of dance music and showed me how powerful sampling could be. You can still hear traces of that influence today in how we think about hooks and arrangement.
Mark Knight & Prok & Fitch – ‘Into My Life’
This record was everywhere around the time we first started going clubbing at university. All of our friends would be sat having pre-drinks with this blasting in the background before heading out. The female vocal, the rolling drums and that synth melody just grabbed us straight away. The call and response between the bassline and synth elements is something we have always loved and definitely influenced our own productions over the years. It is one of those timeless club records that instantly transports you back to a specific period of your life and still sounds huge every time you hear it.
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