Simon Dunmore has bought a majority stake in House Culture, giving the former Defected Records boss control of a house music brand that began on Instagram. The deal has no public price tag, but the team has big plans to turn the page into a hub for fans across the globe.
Funny enough, a podcast guest spot helped get the whole thing going. Dunmore joined the House Culture Podcast in 2024, then grew close to the crew. He went on to host a five-part run of episodes and record live chats on stage in London.
The link came at a point when Dunmore had begun to question his early exit from music. He found that the team had real passion and a loyal fan base, which gave him a reason to get back in the mix. Talks about a deeper role led to the deal.
As for House Culture, Stephen Hedge and Richard Clark first crossed paths at a Shoreditch club in London in 2012. Their shared love of house led them to start an Instagram account where fans could find music, DJs, and party picks.
That small page has since grown to nearly 100,000 followers. The brand has also branched out with music lists, live events, and its podcast, which Matt Rouse began leading in 2019. Big names such as Fatboy Slim, Danny Tenaglia, and David Morales have all been guests.
The next phase goes well past social posts. Plans call for a larger content team, with the podcast and radio show at its core. Fans can expect video, YouTube shows, fresh stories, email updates, and a music archive. The team also wants to put out tracks and host more events.
And there's a clear goal behind it. Dunmore thinks the fast pace of social media has left parts of dance music history out of the picture. He wants the people who built the scene to get fair credit, while new artists get the help and space they need.
For the House Culture crew, his years in dance music are a big draw. Hedge, Clark, and Rouse see him as someone who gets what makes the scene work, rather than just a big name with cash. Nick Gordon Brown and Steve Banks will also help steer the brand.
Dunmore has quite a track record, of course. Before he set up Defected in 1999 with help from Ministry of Sound, he worked at Cooltempo Records and A&M's AM PM dance label. He also signed tracks such as Ultra Naté's Free and Mousse T.'s Horny.
His role at Defected changed when Wez Saunders bought the label in 2022 and took charge as CEO. Dunmore stayed on as an A&R adviser, then wrapped up his DJ touring run in 2023. He later linked with Armada Music to start NBT Records.
House Culture isn't the only dance media name to draw buyer interest. Superstruct Entertainment paid £25 million, worth about $30.6 million at the time, to buy Boiler Room from DICE in 2025. That deal gives a bit of context to the money and interest moving through this part of the music world.
For Dunmore, though, the new venture seems less about looking back and more about giving house music a place where its history and new talent can both get their due. The real test will be how well House Culture grows while keeping the close-knit feel that brought fans there in the first place.
Funny enough, a podcast guest spot helped get the whole thing going. Dunmore joined the House Culture Podcast in 2024, then grew close to the crew. He went on to host a five-part run of episodes and record live chats on stage in London.
The link came at a point when Dunmore had begun to question his early exit from music. He found that the team had real passion and a loyal fan base, which gave him a reason to get back in the mix. Talks about a deeper role led to the deal.
As for House Culture, Stephen Hedge and Richard Clark first crossed paths at a Shoreditch club in London in 2012. Their shared love of house led them to start an Instagram account where fans could find music, DJs, and party picks.
That small page has since grown to nearly 100,000 followers. The brand has also branched out with music lists, live events, and its podcast, which Matt Rouse began leading in 2019. Big names such as Fatboy Slim, Danny Tenaglia, and David Morales have all been guests.
The next phase goes well past social posts. Plans call for a larger content team, with the podcast and radio show at its core. Fans can expect video, YouTube shows, fresh stories, email updates, and a music archive. The team also wants to put out tracks and host more events.
And there's a clear goal behind it. Dunmore thinks the fast pace of social media has left parts of dance music history out of the picture. He wants the people who built the scene to get fair credit, while new artists get the help and space they need.
For the House Culture crew, his years in dance music are a big draw. Hedge, Clark, and Rouse see him as someone who gets what makes the scene work, rather than just a big name with cash. Nick Gordon Brown and Steve Banks will also help steer the brand.
Dunmore has quite a track record, of course. Before he set up Defected in 1999 with help from Ministry of Sound, he worked at Cooltempo Records and A&M's AM PM dance label. He also signed tracks such as Ultra Naté's Free and Mousse T.'s Horny.
His role at Defected changed when Wez Saunders bought the label in 2022 and took charge as CEO. Dunmore stayed on as an A&R adviser, then wrapped up his DJ touring run in 2023. He later linked with Armada Music to start NBT Records.
House Culture isn't the only dance media name to draw buyer interest. Superstruct Entertainment paid £25 million, worth about $30.6 million at the time, to buy Boiler Room from DICE in 2025. That deal gives a bit of context to the money and interest moving through this part of the music world.
For Dunmore, though, the new venture seems less about looking back and more about giving house music a place where its history and new talent can both get their due. The real test will be how well House Culture grows while keeping the close-knit feel that brought fans there in the first place.
