The London based musician and performer Nikesh Shukla releases his debut album today, after spending a year in Kenya creating an eclectic array of sounds that he calls a “stripped-down acoustic anti-folk series of short stories set against a background of acoustic guitar and poetical raps”.

Formerly part of the duo, the D’Archetypes, and earlier referred to as Yam Boy, Shukla says the album amalgamated his three main influences: Public Enemy, Jeffrey Lewis and Asha Bhosle, but “without a bhangra tune in sight.”

The 30 year old poet has also had his writing featured on BBC2, Radio 1 and 4, Resonance fm, Tell Tales and Transmission Magazine. As part of D’Archetypes, he has previously performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Soho Theatre, The Big Chill, Rise Festival, London Mela and Glastonbury.

On the subject of his new album, he says: “There’s a wide variety of themes here, from the loss of my culture to rap to the possibility of monkeys overruling the earth.”

Kidologies and Amazing Fantasies is out today through Friendly Neighbourhood Records on CD and MP3.
- www.myspace.com/nikeshshukla