Based in Michigan, Nuntius Noctis is a Dj and producer of electronic music. His sound is mental and melodic, and reflects a touch of his Jamaican-Caribbean origins. Last year, he appeared in the compilation “Shoplifter - The Remixes” signed on the label (MS). From his studio, he speaks about his hip-hop roots, his vision of the Caribbean electronic scene, his definition of techno music, his video games references, some memories from Berlin, his projects including an Ep on Calder City Development Corp. among others.

Welcome! A glass of? 
Water! Thank you!

How was your childhood environment? 
I was born in Michigan but grew up in South Florida. My parents split when I was young, and I was raised mostly by my mother. Both sides of my family are Caribbean, Jamaican and Grenadian, and a lot of them ended up in South Florida too, so that culture was always around me. These days I’m based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was a latchkey kid, and one of my clearest memories is my mom constantly playing music in the apartment: jazz, funk, soul, disco, rock, classical, reggae… whatever felt right. That mix really shaped my ears early on. I also played piano and trumpet in grade school, so I had some formal exposure to music, even if I didn’t come from a “music-industry” family. Creativity runs through parts of my family, but my parents both work in the medical field. So, for me, music became the space where I could explore identity, emotion and imagination.

Who are your first influences?
Aside from my mom and her eclectic taste, I was a child of the internet. So, my ever-changing taste continued to evolve with the trove of music available to me at the time. A big influence on me was Photek. A friend showed me “Ni - Ten - Ichi – Ryu” and I was hooked (listening now as I write this). I continued to explore other influential artists at the time like The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, The Dust Brothers, Paul Oakenfold, Daft Punk and the rest is history!

I heard you're a real video gamer! Do you have any video games you'd recommend?
Most definitely! Probably my longest standing hobby aside from Music and Djing. A few favorites of mine are: Max Payne, Half-Life, Unreal, Tribes, Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid. Impeccable story-telling and great original soundtracks. Or just downright fun!

What do you think about vaporwave music? 
Vaporwave? I am definitely familiar. Artists like Macintosh plus Vektroid, Macross 82-99, Com Truise, Windows96… It's an amalgamation of so many genres!

Any memory of your first approach to Djing? 
Before anything official I was Djing house parties and little get-togethers, but my first real party was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I rented out this warehouse spot, mostly storage and small businesses, but it was also known for underground events if you knew the right people. It was as DIY as it gets: a stack of speakers, a slab of wood on top as the “booth,” and my decks and mixer perched on it like we were building a nightclub out of optimism. And to make it even better, the owner forgot to turn the heat on—so the whole place was absolutely freezing. Still, we had a few hundred people come through, and it got out of control in the most classic underground way. People were sneaking into other spaces, someone was apparently pissing down the elevator shaft… just pure chaos. Eventually the cops shut it down, but honestly? It felt like a rite of passage. Humble beginnings, madness and a great story. Good times.

Your sound in a few words? 
Emotional, melodic, dark, expressive. Music for me was always an extension of my self expression. The feeling a song could convey is just as important as how good it sounds. It usually resonates with how I am feeling at that time.

Your definition of techno music? 
Aside from it being inherently black -Detroit baby-, I feel like it’s a sonic ritual dedicated to soulful futurism. Repetition as incantation, bass as heartbeat, texture as atmosphere. Born from Detroit’s -and elsewhere- Black, soulful futurism, it turns machines into emotion and the dancefloor into a shared trance.

Do you consider music as physical?  
Absolutely! And there’s science to prove it! Music is physical because it’s vibration first, emotion second. Your body feels the wave before your brain tells a story about it. Techno is bodily architecture: you don’t just listen, you get moved, literally.

You made your debut release by contributing to Myles Sergé’s - interview here - “Shoplifter - The Remixes” on the label (MS) - stream below. Since when do you produce and what kind of gears do you prefer to use for production? 
I’ve been producing on and off for years. I actually started making hip-hop and rap beats back in middle and high school, and over time it naturally evolved into the sounds I’m focused on now. I use a mixture of software and hardware currently. A few years ago, I had a bunch of gear stolen while I was in Detroit and it wiped out a lot of work. projects, sessions, ideas so I had to swallow it and rebuild from scratch. That was rough, especially because I’m already pretty hard on myself creatively. Myles has been a huge part of me pushing through that. He’s a real mentor - took me under his wing, showed me the game, and gave me opportunities that genuinely helped move things forward. Most importantly, he kept pushing me to actually release music instead of sitting on it. I’ll always give him his flowers for that.

Could you tell us a bit about the Caribbean electronic scene? 
On the islands, you’ve got sounds like soca, dancehall, bouyon, and Dennery segment—and a lot of that music is already electronic at the core: drum machines, synth bass, high-energy patterns, heavy sound-system culture. Then you’ve got newer club crossovers creeping in naturally from afro-house, amapiano, UK funky, bass music, even techno-leaning edits. Especially through DJs, Carnival culture, and the diaspora. Miami, New York, Toronto, London… Those Caribbean communities keep the exchange moving both ways.

For you, what does vinyl represent? 
I always respected vinyl. I didn’t start collecting it till I was a little older as I was spoiled by the digital age of data availability. To me? It always felt like a Time Capsule for music. It’s an artifact from that specific moment in time. From the artwork to the artist notes. The surface noise, pops, wear, dust. It’s history solidified to me.

Your top 5 labels? 
Interdimensional Transmissions, Hoomidaas Records, Sub_tl, Hypnus Records, Ghostly. 

For you, a banger in 3 words? 
Emotional, Evolving, Organic

How was your gig at Kater? 
It was amazing. My first time playing overseas. I always had so much respect for the Berlin scene and artists already. Everyone was welcoming. Big shout out to Zentaskai (Mask Records) and Sabine Hoffmann, and Alan Oldham! (Interview here)

What do you mainly like in Berlin? 
Berlin pulls me in for the contrasts: diversity, which I was not expecting, and warmth, curiosity and edge. It’s welcoming, but it doesn’t sugarcoat itself. It’s blunt and direct oftentimes. Hedonism is part of the culture—less escapism, more permission to feel everything fully. And the city looks like a retro-futuristic dream that got slightly dystopian: brutalist blocks, hard lines, history everywhere—then you turn a corner and the food is unreal.

Your top 5 best festivals/clubs? 
Movement (DEMF), Tresor Berlin, The Works Detroit (IYKYK), Spotlite Detroit, KnockDown Center (NYC), Russell Industrial Center.

On Rotation, currently playing? 
- JSPRV35 “Intergalactic Funk”
- Alot “Delito” 
- John Selway & Semblance Factor “Autofreak” (Funktor Remix)
- Andy Toth “Subspace”   
- His Master’s Voice “Eve”
- Azo “Human Love Langage”
- Low Orbit Satellite “Love Acid” 
- Rotwang “Insert Coin”
- Swoze “Track Day”

Your top 5 oldies? 
- DJ Rush “F*ck Me”
- Underworld “Born Slippy”
- Green Velvet “Flash”
- Orbital “Halcyon”
- The Prodigy “Mindfields”
- Claude VonStroke “Who's Afraid of Detroit”

If you could teleport yourself, where would you choose to go and why?
I don't know what the hell is going on in the world today, especially in the USA, but I would definitely teleport to a different timeline. One where empathy and love are more important to humanity as opposed to fear, hate and greed.

Your projects for 2026? 
I got a remix coming out for an artist called Adege for an Ep named “Black Silicon”. Should be coming up in the first part of this year. I also  have my own self titled Ep coming soon on Myles' Calder City Development Corp. Label. Should be out in a few months.

Interviewed by Sabrina Bouzidi