NGUZUNGUZU
Written for ACCLAIM, published in 2014
Photography: KKB
Words: MJB
Nguzunguzu is one of those names that you want to name-drop in a conversation for the sake of seeming mid-to-high brow with well-rounded taste in music but is actually so difficult to pronounce that you end up sounding like an illiterate poser – despite the fact that you can recite every track from their Moments in Love mixtape from memory. Fact.
The LA-based duo of Asma Maroof and Daniel Pineda rep for Fade to Mind and Night Slugs, have produced for Kelela and are coming to Australia to play the RBMA stage at Splendour in the Grass. Nobody will give a fuck about pronunciation when they’re stomping in their gumboots at a music festival but FYI it’s en-goo-zoo-en-goo-zoo. You’re welcome.
Who are you?
Wait, who are you?
Where are you from?
Nagoya, Otaru, Kenilworth, London.
What is unique about your local music scene?
Anglo–Japanese MCs drink lemonade with MIDI fans.
Describe your sound in three words. Go!
Bilingual schoolyard dancehall.
What makes you unique as an artist?
Everybody’s unique in their own special way right?
Have you heard any new music lately?
We heard lots at Eternal yesterday!
Got any recommendations?
Lil Data, Felicita, Sakura Rainbow!
Tell us a little about this release.
It has two songs aboMy name is… Asma.
By day I… sleep.
By night I… work.
My favourite TV show is… Death Note.
The last movie I watched was… X-Men.
The first album I ever bought was… Michael Jackson.
The last was… Beyoncé.
If I wasn’t making music I would probably be… A fashion designer.
I’m addicted to… gelato.
The best thing about touring is… adventure.
The worst thing is… no sleep.
My perfect gig would involve… lots of LED screens.
The first gig I went to was… magical.
The most important thing on my rider is… water.
My hangover cure is… sparkling water.
My favourite YouTube vid is… this one
My computer’s wallpaper is… all-black.
