01Profile
A Nukuluk Photo
Nukuluk
Collective — London
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Nukuluk (Monika, Mateo, Syd, Olivia, Louis), from London/Plymouth/Paris.
Describe your style in three words?
Mo: Discreet, branding, earthtone.
Ma: Out of touch.
S: clunky gruff lost.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
S: Goat (JP) at Oslo Hackney - such amazing ideas, tightest rhythms and a saxophone with a Coke bottle shoved down it. Sadly they aren’t on Spotify, so special mention to the legendary Das EFX who I somehow saw at the New Cross Inn.
Ma: Outkast at Bestival, big energy, real showmen.
O: GORILLAZ. It was just really good.
If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Ma: Prince and Meshell Ndegeocello so I could learn a thing or two about playing my bass.
L&O: Definitely Up Doggy Dog and probably Radiohead.
S: Actress and Nearly God. Both sonic and emotional pioneers in what they do with music and an endless production inspiration.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Mo: I was all hip-hop growing up, people looked like me and they were angry and rebellious and wanted more. Obviously, I realize now they weren’t telling my story, but I resonated with what they were saying.
S: I grew up around my parents’ punk and dub culture which was wicked - the values and the energy of it all. I think the approach to genre-mashing and collaborating is something that inspired me, as well as this idea of articulating a lot of truth through the songs.
L&O: Midnight Mass (seasonal), Soup Bible (also seasonal), Goldsmith’s Student Union, Londis, Group Therapy.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Ma: Andrzej Zulawski because I’ve fallen in love with his films recently and have many questions unanswered.
L: Dennis Hopper, I wanna see how horrible he really is.
O: Maya Deren is my favourite :)
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
L: Royal Festival Hall is always fun, I like to dress up.
O: WORM, Rotterdam - Google the toilets.
S: Graham’s Arch near Ladbroke Grove station - an old wood workshop where I played my first gigs as a kid. Lots of smoke and hummus!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Mo: Francis Bebey. I grew up listening to his music, and love the mix of humour and sincerity in his writing. People in the UK tend to focus on his instrumental work because of the language barrier, and it annoys me to see very cool very serious DJs missing out on the light side of his music.
L: Stephen Malkmus - Melodically and lyrically my favourite artist, I was the perfect age when I got into his music and I still don’t understand a lot of the words to Pavement songs.
O: Paddy Steer - he builds all his synths and has a big fish head with a vocoder in it and it slaps.
S: Richard Dawson - obviously he’s got his fanbase, but I think he deserves more! I can’t see anyone’s lyrics that come close to how he depicts life in Britain. From touching upon this medieval generational trauma with his record 'Peasant' to the follow up '2020' about freelance graphic design work and Kurdish families getting bricks through their windows, his lyrics just embody the weird social nightmare of parts of life in Britain.
Nukuluk are an experimental hip-hop collective from South London. They release their new EP 'Disaster Pop' on 17th November followed by a launch party at The Windmill, Brixton a few days later on 20th November 2021.
For more information visit linktr.ee/nukuluk.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
Mo: 'Salomé' by Donny Elwood.
Ma: 'Boombastic' by Shaggy.
O: 'When I Come Around' by Green Day.
L: 'The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) - Spanglish Version' by Las Ketchup.
S: 'Lost In The Supermarket' by The Clash.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Mo: 'Suicidal Thoughts' by The Notorious B.I.G. I didn’t have any suicidal thoughts, I was just obsessed with the song.
Ma: 'Promises' by Fugazi. I remember it being very cathartic when I thought I was angry.
L: 'Femme Fatal' by The Velvet Underground, Nico.
O: 'Mote' by Sonic Youth but also just all of 'Goo'.
S: 'Untitled #8' by John Frusciante. My friend Anna showed me this record when we were kids and I’m pretty sure it ruined my life; proper gateway experimental music, beautiful guitar riffs you recognise from Red Hot Chili Peppers tunes surrounded by eerie tape delay and samples of laughter and conversation. I was a bit of a sad kid…
One record you would keep forever?
Mo: 'A Beard of Stars' by T. Rex.
Ma: 'Scissors Sisters' by Scissor Sisters.
L: 'Gymnopédie' by Erik Satie.
O: My gran gave me this record with loads of Austrian opera on it but I don’t know what it’s called.
S: 'Love Is A Stream' by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Mo: "I saw things I imagined"
From 'Things I Imagined' by Solange.
S: “I wanna hurt him, I wanna give him pain, I’m a roman candle, my head is full of flames”
From 'Roman Candle' by Elliot Smith.
Ma: "I Wanna Get High"
From 'I Wanna Get High' by Cypress Hill.
L: "I am the beast I worship"
From 'Beware' by Death Grips - I don’t know I’m not a rapper.
O: "Pigs, in there"
From 'Pigs... (In There)' by Robert Wyatt.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
Mo: 'Green Light' by Lorde.
Ma: 'I Wonder If I Take You Home' by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Full Force.
L: 'Bebey' by Theophilus London, Giggs.
O: 'Bla Bla Bla' by Gigi D’Agostino.
S: 'Contort Yourself' by James Chance & The Contortions.
A song you wished you had written?
Mo: 'Angel' by Standing on the Corner.
Ma: 'You Don’t Know What Love Is' by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
L: 'Flight of the Bumblebee' by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (arr. Rachmaninoff).
O: Can I have Pig twice? 'Pigs... (In There)' by Robert Wyatt.
S: 'Doesn’t Make It Alright' by The Specials.
Best song to turn up loud?
Mo: 'Soldier on' by Richard Hawley.
Ma: 'Do You Mind?' by Kyla, Crazy Cousinz.
L: 'I Chose to be This Way' by Bladee & 16yrold.
O: 'Awakening from the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)' by Blood Incantations.
S: 'Ain’t It Funny' by Danny Brown.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Mo: 'Sommeil' by Stromae.
Ma: 'Uptown Girl' by Westlife.
L: 'Glassbox' by Syd Nukuluk.
O: 'Meet Me At Our Spot' by Willow Smith.
S: 'Acorn' by The Grip.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Mo: I don’t party all night.
L: I do party all night and I love finishing the night on 'I’m Feeling Fine' from Bugsy Malone, I could sing that song at the top of my lungs all the way home, a real swinger, a true home run.
Ma: 'Love in Outer Space - Vocal' by Sun Ra.
O: 'Whistle Stop' from the 'Robin Hood' soundtrack.
S: 'The Pink Room' by Angelo Badalamenti.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
I was obsessed with 'Sparky' by Nuha Ruby Rah when it came out. She’s rightfully got a lot of momentum right now, so not sure how ‘new’ she is.
'Teal' by Wunderhorse.
'Heyshaw' by Keg.
'Nunhead' by Black Bordello.
'Substation' by 404 Guild.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Nukuluk (Monika, Mateo, Syd, Olivia, Louis), from London/Plymouth/Paris.
Describe your style in three words?
Mo: Discreet, branding, earthtone.
Ma: Out of touch.
S: clunky gruff lost.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
S: Goat (JP) at Oslo Hackney - such amazing ideas, tightest rhythms and a saxophone with a Coke bottle shoved down it. Sadly they aren’t on Spotify, so special mention to the legendary Das EFX who I somehow saw at the New Cross Inn.
Ma: Outkast at Bestival, big energy, real showmen.
O: GORILLAZ. It was just really good.
If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
Ma: Prince and Meshell Ndegeocello so I could learn a thing or two about playing my bass.
L&O: Definitely Up Doggy Dog and probably Radiohead.
S: Actress and Nearly God. Both sonic and emotional pioneers in what they do with music and an endless production inspiration.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Mo: I was all hip-hop growing up, people looked like me and they were angry and rebellious and wanted more. Obviously, I realize now they weren’t telling my story, but I resonated with what they were saying.
S: I grew up around my parents’ punk and dub culture which was wicked - the values and the energy of it all. I think the approach to genre-mashing and collaborating is something that inspired me, as well as this idea of articulating a lot of truth through the songs.
L&O: Midnight Mass (seasonal), Soup Bible (also seasonal), Goldsmith’s Student Union, Londis, Group Therapy.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Ma: Andrzej Zulawski because I’ve fallen in love with his films recently and have many questions unanswered.
L: Dennis Hopper, I wanna see how horrible he really is.
O: Maya Deren is my favourite :)
Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
L: Royal Festival Hall is always fun, I like to dress up.
O: WORM, Rotterdam - Google the toilets.
S: Graham’s Arch near Ladbroke Grove station - an old wood workshop where I played my first gigs as a kid. Lots of smoke and hummus!
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Mo: Francis Bebey. I grew up listening to his music, and love the mix of humour and sincerity in his writing. People in the UK tend to focus on his instrumental work because of the language barrier, and it annoys me to see very cool very serious DJs missing out on the light side of his music.
L: Stephen Malkmus - Melodically and lyrically my favourite artist, I was the perfect age when I got into his music and I still don’t understand a lot of the words to Pavement songs.
O: Paddy Steer - he builds all his synths and has a big fish head with a vocoder in it and it slaps.
S: Richard Dawson - obviously he’s got his fanbase, but I think he deserves more! I can’t see anyone’s lyrics that come close to how he depicts life in Britain. From touching upon this medieval generational trauma with his record 'Peasant' to the follow up '2020' about freelance graphic design work and Kurdish families getting bricks through their windows, his lyrics just embody the weird social nightmare of parts of life in Britain.
Nukuluk are an experimental hip-hop collective from South London. They release their new EP 'Disaster Pop' on 17th November followed by a launch party at The Windmill, Brixton a few days later on 20th November 2021.
For more information visit linktr.ee/nukuluk.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
Mo: 'Salomé' by Donny Elwood.
Ma: 'Boombastic' by Shaggy.
O: 'When I Come Around' by Green Day.
L: 'The Ketchup Song (Aserejé) - Spanglish Version' by Las Ketchup.
S: 'Lost In The Supermarket' by The Clash.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Mo: 'Suicidal Thoughts' by The Notorious B.I.G. I didn’t have any suicidal thoughts, I was just obsessed with the song.
Ma: 'Promises' by Fugazi. I remember it being very cathartic when I thought I was angry.
L: 'Femme Fatal' by The Velvet Underground, Nico.
O: 'Mote' by Sonic Youth but also just all of 'Goo'.
S: 'Untitled #8' by John Frusciante. My friend Anna showed me this record when we were kids and I’m pretty sure it ruined my life; proper gateway experimental music, beautiful guitar riffs you recognise from Red Hot Chili Peppers tunes surrounded by eerie tape delay and samples of laughter and conversation. I was a bit of a sad kid…
One record you would keep forever?
Mo: 'A Beard of Stars' by T. Rex.
Ma: 'Scissors Sisters' by Scissor Sisters.
L: 'Gymnopédie' by Erik Satie.
O: My gran gave me this record with loads of Austrian opera on it but I don’t know what it’s called.
S: 'Love Is A Stream' by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Mo: "I saw things I imagined"
From 'Things I Imagined' by Solange.
S: “I wanna hurt him, I wanna give him pain, I’m a roman candle, my head is full of flames”
From 'Roman Candle' by Elliot Smith.
Ma: "I Wanna Get High"
From 'I Wanna Get High' by Cypress Hill.
L: "I am the beast I worship"
From 'Beware' by Death Grips - I don’t know I’m not a rapper.
O: "Pigs, in there"
From 'Pigs... (In There)' by Robert Wyatt.
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
Mo: 'Green Light' by Lorde.
Ma: 'I Wonder If I Take You Home' by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Full Force.
L: 'Bebey' by Theophilus London, Giggs.
O: 'Bla Bla Bla' by Gigi D’Agostino.
S: 'Contort Yourself' by James Chance & The Contortions.
A song you wished you had written?
Mo: 'Angel' by Standing on the Corner.
Ma: 'You Don’t Know What Love Is' by Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
L: 'Flight of the Bumblebee' by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (arr. Rachmaninoff).
O: Can I have Pig twice? 'Pigs... (In There)' by Robert Wyatt.
S: 'Doesn’t Make It Alright' by The Specials.
Best song to turn up loud?
Mo: 'Soldier on' by Richard Hawley.
Ma: 'Do You Mind?' by Kyla, Crazy Cousinz.
L: 'I Chose to be This Way' by Bladee & 16yrold.
O: 'Awakening from the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)' by Blood Incantations.
S: 'Ain’t It Funny' by Danny Brown.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Mo: 'Sommeil' by Stromae.
Ma: 'Uptown Girl' by Westlife.
L: 'Glassbox' by Syd Nukuluk.
O: 'Meet Me At Our Spot' by Willow Smith.
S: 'Acorn' by The Grip.
Best song to end an all-nighter on?
Mo: I don’t party all night.
L: I do party all night and I love finishing the night on 'I’m Feeling Fine' from Bugsy Malone, I could sing that song at the top of my lungs all the way home, a real swinger, a true home run.
Ma: 'Love in Outer Space - Vocal' by Sun Ra.
O: 'Whistle Stop' from the 'Robin Hood' soundtrack.
S: 'The Pink Room' by Angelo Badalamenti.
Any new music you are listening to right now?
I was obsessed with 'Sparky' by Nuha Ruby Rah when it came out. She’s rightfully got a lot of momentum right now, so not sure how ‘new’ she is.
'Teal' by Wunderhorse.
'Heyshaw' by Keg.
'Nunhead' by Black Bordello.
'Substation' by 404 Guild.