INTERVIEWS
Dean Turnley breaks down 'Actin' Tough'
This Summer, the Naarm/Melbourne-based producer's track has been about as viral as it gets.
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH MIXMAG GLOBAL.
Anyone who’s spent any time online as of late has, in all likelihood, been unable to avoid Dean Turnley’s ‘Actin’ Tough’. The Naarm/Melbourne-based producer and DJ’s track is one of the year’s biggest and most popular earworms thus far, helped by support from Turnley’s collaborators Jordan Brando, William Kiss and Luke Alessi, and global play from the likes of Peggy Gou, Rossi., Interplanetary Criminal, KILIMANJARO, Chris Lake, Special Request and Ewan McVicar.
While the track is so new, having been produced only three months ago, Turnley has been active in music for over a decade, producing, DJing and behind the scenes as a promoter.
In many ways, though, ‘Actin’ Tough’ is the perfect track for right now. The simplicity of its percussion, next-level catchy vocals, and progressive bass line play on the huge level of 90s nostalgia being felt across some of the global culture’s most popular spaces, and crowds have been desperate for its release.
Last Friday, that day finally came, with ‘Actin’ Tough’ seeing release via CHAOS in collaboration with HOME//GRXWN.
To celebrate the release, Mixmag ANZ and Mixmag Global secured a moment of Dean’s time.
Q: ‘Actin’ Tough’ started as a late-night sketch on an SP-404 inspired by Moodymann. What do you remember about that first session, and when did you realise there was something special in it?
DT: I remember splicing up some hip hop drums on the 404 and messing around with basslines while pairing them with the vocals. Adding the M1 organ was the ‘moment’ for me. I remember just distinctly jamming for 15 minutes after that and having a boogie. From that point on, I didn’t care where I was with it; I just wanted to test it out at a club. If I want to play the track I’m writing out, that is a really good early sign for me personally as a producer.
Q: When the DMs started flooding in asking for the ID, was that the moment you realised the track might take on a life of its own?
DT: I had a great feeling about the record from the get-go, and there were signs that gradually became more and more noticeable. The initial interest/dm’s was really the first obvious sign for me. The viral moment at Ripponlea was the catalyst.
Q: A lot of producers talk about “testing tracks”, but this one seemed to ignite almost instantly. What do you think people connected with in the record?
DT: I think people really connect with the energy in the track. The M1 has a pretty infectious vocal conversation that ties nicely with the verse. It also sits in a relatively unique space for house, which I think has given people something that feels familiar but unique. We have a great culture and community in Melbourne. It was great that it premiered in that environment.
Q: In a time when so many records break via TikTok, ‘Actin’ Tough’ spread almost entirely through dancefloors and word of mouth. Did you notice that momentum building in real time?
DT: Absolutely, from Beyond The Valley to Ripponlea, to Pitch Music and Arts. The reactions were so awesome, and I could really feel something special was happening/building.
Q: What do you think of the concept of ‘virality’ in music? How has that influenced how you’ve grown to feel about the song, ahead of its release?
DT: Haha, this was a genuinely new concept to me prior to this tune, so the initial process was a lot to absorb (I’m pretty new to TT). It’s just awesome to see so many people sharing and talking about something you’ve made.
Q: The track has now been played by artists such as Rossi, Peggy Gou, Michael Bibi, FISHER, Chris Lake, and Patrick Topping. When you started seeing those names playing it, what went through your mind?
DT: I was just losing it watching them with my mates, such a surreal experience seeing your tune played by industry champions on some of the largest stages in the world.
Q: We live in a more globalised music culture than ever before. What has that global reach enabled for you and ‘Actin’ Tough’, do you think?
DT: We are more connected than ever before. It’s given me a platform to tell my story, and I can also connect and work with people halfway across the world, which is amazing!
Q: Opening the Pitch Black stage at Pitch Music and Arts last weekend looked like a massive moment. What did it feel like watching the stage fill up so quickly?
DT: Surreal and utterly crazy. I knew there was some buzz around my opening set, but I never had imagined the stage would be full before I started playing. I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Q: Did playing ‘Actin’ Tough’ there feel like a full-circle moment after watching the track’s reputation build?
DT: 100 percent! Being able to play it on the 404 to a crowd of that size at my favourite festival, with my close friends around me, was just perfect. To see how crazy the response was live was the cherry on top. The people on that dancefloor have created a very special memory I’ll carry with me for life.
Q: Now that ‘Actin’ Tough’ is officially landing on HOME//GRXWN, what do you hope happens next for the record and for you?
DT: The record will do its thing and I’ll keep doing mine. I’m wrapped that I’m going to get more opportunities to do what I love, play music to people and write music for people. It’s been a pleasure to experience this wild ride with a like-minded team! I’m so excited about the opportunities this will bring. Watch this space!
