Does nothing scratch your soulful itch quite like your favourite Lauryn Hill track? Do you have fond memories of the golden era of Cali R&B band The Internet? Look no further than fresh foursome The Age of L.U.N.A. to update your hip hop nostalgia wave to SS17. West London friends Butch Arkas, Kyote Noir, Daniella Thomas and NKOK are impossibly stylish and, better yet, insanely talented and clever, as evidenced by our interview with them below. Find out what L.U.N.A. stands for as they dig into their musical influences and give us a glimpse into their Netflix habits. And be sure to check out their brand new video “Body & Soul” and bask in their glow as they playfully ride bikes through Peckham and take in the neon lights of their favourite Chinese food spot in Soho.
Take us back to the beginning of The Age of LUNA. How did you all link up to start making music together?
Friends... being friends and a mutual love for music and creating.
What’s the story behind “Live Under No Authority”? How do you practice this idea in your everyday lives?
Daniella: Generally the word that I relate to this is freedom. Freedom of expression and not taking sh**. Freedom in terms of lifestyle and not being affected by other opinions or trends. Authority is a power and that could be in many forms, living under no authority is not letting negative powers control you.
Kyote: I wanted to make something that represented my lifestyle and character because I was pretty sure there were a whole load of other kids going through similar trials and tribulations in life. How I practice this in my everyday life is by living exactly how I want, no one can tell me about the way I live because the way I live brings me wellness and happiness. I apply that to everything I encounter.
What was the best part of filming the video for “Body & Soul”?
We love shooting outdoors, we have done a few studio shoots that have been fun. But being outdoors really lets us express our personality instead of being quite straight and forced...
Where was the video shot and what was the inspiration behind it?
We shot in Peckham which was pretty random but we loved the locations - the car park and rooftop allowed us to catch the light nicely and let us gloooow! Then we went down to SOHO where me and butch personally go to eat a lot of Chinese so let's leave it at that.
“Some men are like Netflix, me and my brothers like primetime” is one of our favourite lines from your new single. Are there any primetime shows that any of you watch religiously or are you Netflix bingers?
Daniella: Haha, that's Butch's line and actually we've been watching Dexter on Netflix which is pretty frickin' cool.
How does the music making process work for you? Do you have a studio?
Daniella: I like to write in solitude in order to have space for my brain to flow naturally without pressure. We recorded a lot at Blu Lab, and then some with relentless. I recently bought myself a little studio set up which has made my life a lot better with laying down demos independently.
How would you describe each other’s personal style?
Kyote: Wild.
Daniella: Natural
Butch: Fresh
What’s your favourite “golden era” hip hop album?
Kyote: I don't really have a personal favourite but Reasonable Doubt, ATLienz and The Slim Shady LP are some to name. Maybe Ready to Die as one of the most entertaining.
Daniella: Big Pun's capital punishment... probably
Butch: Any Tupac album!
What genres, artists, or particular tracks have had an influence on your music outside of rap and hip-hop?
Kyote: I mess with Rock, Dancehall & Grime. Huge respect for Stormzy's dedication and hard work, Alkaline is very sick! Also Ho9909.
Daniella: In fact the majority of my influences are outside of Hip-Hop. I'm into alternative mostly, Trip-hop (Massive Attack, Tricky, Portishead), female-fronted punk bands (The Cranberries, Siouxie and the Banshees) I love bands like Radiohead... massively.
You’ve got quite the festival season coming up. Is there one in particular you’re looking forward to?
Kyote: Wireless! 100%
Daniella: Wireless for sure
Butch: What they both said!
What’s next for The Age of LUNA?
Single then EP then more singles then the debut album!!
Want more from The Age of L.U.N.A.? Check out their Soundcloud here.
In other music news, check out Arca's disturbingly gorgeous new video for "Reverie" right here.