CHRIS STANFORD

Chris Stanford grew up listening to the diverse sounds coming through London’s pirate radio stations — Deja Vu, Passion, Kool, Rude and Rinse — absorbing everything from House & Garage to Old Skool Hardcore, Jungle and Drum & Bass.

While still at school around 1997, Chris and his circle of friends started buying turntables and hunting for records, particularly at the infamous Boogie Times Records and the legendary Blackmarket Records. Before long they were attending raves at venues such as Bagleys, The Rex and The Drome, followed later by nights at Turnmills, Ministry of Sound and the newly opened Fabric.

Around 2004, increasingly frequent trips to Ibiza changed the direction of things. Chris began taking DJing more seriously, putting on house music club nights alongside friends from school. Around the same time, he secured his first show on House FM, where he would broadcast consistently for a few years.

By 2006, after spending the entire summer in Ibiza, his musical tastes were moving deeper into tech house, minimal and techno. Bringing those sounds back to London, Chris became one of the co-founders of the Lost Souls parties — from every Saturday at Public Life, affectionately known as “The Toilet Club”, to London’s superclubs, warehouse parties and gigs across the UK.

His musical journey took him increasingly towards Berlin from 2008, spending time immersed in clubs including Berghain & Panorama Bar, Watergate and Ritter Butzke. This period also led to the founding and co-founding of record labels including EarToGround, Prodigal Son and Quant Records.

While the direction had clearly moved towards techno — opening opportunities to play across Germany as well as France, Belgium and Poland — Chris never lost his eclectic taste. That versatility came to the fore one morning at London’s notorious Jaded afterhours, leading to a residency alongside mainstay Raymundo Rodriguez that would span a decade.

Now, more than 20 years after first broadcasting on the station, Chris Stanford returns to House FM.

Drawing on more than two decades of musical influences, expect a journey through Tech House, Progressive House and beyond — connecting sounds and influences from London to Berlin, Detroit to Ibiza, Chicago and across Europe. From fresh releases to old classics and forgotten gems, the emphasis remains where it has always been: on the journey.

Just what you need to liven up your Saturday night.