Exploring Nuno da Cruz’s DJ Journey: Musical Roots and Evolution

PUBLISHED February 19th, 2025 08:46 am | UPDATED March 19th, 2025 05:48 pm

Born in Porto but shaped by the streets of London, DJ and producer Nuno da Cruz has carved out a unique musical identity that bridges cultures, genres, and decades. Known for his genre-defying sets and raw approach to artistry, Nuno’s story is as eclectic as his sound. In this edition of City Nomads Radio we caught up with him for a candid conversation that took us from his early days in Portugal’s underground scene to his immersive experiences in London’s iconic clubs including Fabric, Dalston superstore, and south London Diggers Heaven The Gowlett Arms.

“Everything Starts with Silliness”

City Nomads (CN): Hey Nuno, how’s everything? Ready for this?

Nuno: I haven’t had time to prepare—I’m so sorry! (laughs) Honestly, I’ve been anxious for the last two days about this.

CN: We should’ve sent you the questions ahead of time!

Nuno: Yeah, I thought about that. But you know what? Maybe it’s better this way. Everything starts with silliness, right? And anyway, isn’t that what being an artist is all about? Not being prepared? LOL

Finding His Sound: Porto to London, and the Spaces In Between

CN: You were born in Porto but spent most of your life in London. How do you think these two cities have shaped you, both personally and musically?

Nuno: There are so many ways you can approach this question. Porto and London have this cultural bridge. Portugal has always been massively influenced by British music, and that comes from geography. Since the 1920s, even during World War II, we were picking up British radio waves. By the 1980s, Porto had this boom in underground and alternative music because kids were tuning into British radio and spreading what they heard.

I grew up during that time—the first generation born into freedom after the dictatorship ended in 1974. Music was the first thing people used to express themselves. My dad played a huge role too. He was a businessman working with a British company, flying to London all the time. He brought back so much culture—my first silver t-shirt, my first single, my first portable console. But more than that, he brought back 8mm films in Camden Town, Soho, even early Carnaby Street. I was like six years old, watching these raw, gritty images while living in the middle of austerity in this tiny suburb outside Porto. That became my playground, my escape.

Moving to London: The Reality Check

CN: When you finally moved to London in the late ’90s, was there a culture shock?

Nuno: Oh, definitely. I thought I knew everything about London’s music scene because I’d been obsessing over it for years—reading The Face, ID and Wraygun, trying to replicate the culture from afar. But when I arrived, I realised even a six-year-old in London probably knew more about music than I did. There’s just too many things to do in London. That was my culture shock. I’d been so in my bubble, thinking I had it all figured out. But London is so vast, musically. It humbled me real quick. 

CN: Were you a raver before you became a DJ? What’s your first memorable experience in the club scene?

Nuno: I became a raver out of necessity, I think. It wasn’t like, “Oh, I’m going to be a raver now.” Things in my life just happen naturally, and I decide to embrace them. My background was in rock—I studied classical piano as a kid, was in bands, wrote poetry, all that. But when I started writing for a ska band called Sloppy Joe, that’s when I realised I wanted to explore dance music more deeply.

The first real “wow” moment I had in a club was seeing Kruder and Dorfmeister in 96 promoting the now classic DJ-kicks. They were throwing in Bossa Nova elements—it wasn’t even fully electronic—and it blew my mind. I walked out of that set thinking, There’s so much you can do as a DJ that I never even considered. And then I saw Rockers Hi-Fi, and I was like, What the fuck is this? I wanna do that! That kind of stuff opened my eyes to the possibilities within the art of mixing.

DJing as a Learning Process

CN: So DJing wasn’t the original plan?

Nuno: Not at all. But once I started DJing, I realised it was the best way to learn about music composition. You’re learning from other people’s processes—figuring out how tracks are structured, how to mix them into other songs, how to create momentum. I learned so much more about composing through DJing than I ever did in school. It made me hyper-aware of the intricacies in song structures, and that became a big part of how I approached my own music.

CN: When you’re in the studio, do you have a particular creative process, or is it all about improvisation?

Nuno: I wish I could say I had a process, but honestly, it’s mostly improvisation and making the most of the tools available to you. I struggled with the transition to digital production in the ’90s. My first experience with computers in music was traumatising—I hated it. I recorded an album with my band Driving Under Influence, in 97 that goes unpublished to this day but introducing computers into the process to time the drums felt like a total failure, we lost hours over it

It wasn’t until much later, around 2003, that I started experimenting again. Even then, it was more about playing around with sequencers and synths. During COVID, I finally had the time and space to dive back into production seriously. But even now, I don’t see myself as both a DJ and a producer at the same time. When I’m DJing, I’m analysing; when I’m producing, I’m creating. They’re two different mindsets for me.

Vinyl Obsession: Analog vs. Digital

CN: Technology in DJing and production has evolved massively. Where do you stand on the analog vs. digital debate?

Nuno: Ah, the eternal question! (laughs) I come from the old school, mixing vinyl obsessively for years. At one point, I had over 8,000 records—I thought I was a collector, but really, I was just hoarding vinyl like a lunatic. Eventually, I had to confront that. I listened to every record, decided which ones to keep, and gave away or sold the rest. I’m down to around 5,000 now, but each one means something.

That said, I’ve embraced digital too. When I first tried to transition to digital in the ’90s, both in graphics and music production I failed miserably. But later, especially in London, I learned to adapt. Mixing with CDJs, USBs, or even software like Traktor became part of the process. It’s not about being purist for me—it’s about using whatever tools help you express your sound best.

CN: You’ve played in clubs in both Porto, Portugal and London. Do you adapt your sets based on the city and its crowd, or do you stick to your core style?

Nuno: I definitely adapt. My sets are never the same because I’m always in a different phase of discovery. Sometimes I’m deep into Italian library music, other times it’s Nigerian funk or early ’80s Greek pop. I source music from friends, favorite labels, and even political soundbites or obscure vocals. I like to throw in elements that aren’t necessarily “me” but add a layer to the story I’m telling.

CN: How do you plan a set? Do you have a narrative in mind, or is it more instinctual?

Nuno: I don’t pre-plan the sequence of tracks. Instead, I listen to everything I’ve gathered, learn the structures, and figure out where I can break or cut them. The real magic happens live. That’s when I discover how different sounds interact and how the crowd responds.

CN: What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects or plans we should keep an eye on?

Nuno: The good news is that, after a period of enforced hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ll be resuming my DJing career with a residency at OpenBox in Porto’s Art District Miguel Bombarda in 2025. This residency will build upon the spirit and work done for 8 years with Club Return to Forever at the Gowlett Arms in Peckham, South London, exploring a diverse range of funk and experimental sounds.

I’m currently working on new productions, including enough material for an LP tentatively titled “The NuAge is an Ape * The Artist is no wonder.” I’m also experimenting with incorporating more live elements into my sets, blending DJing with live performance and musicians. And while I’ve been sitting on an unreleased album for a while, I’m primarily focused on staying inspired and seeing where this musical journey takes me.”

CN: Thanks for the chat, Nuno. This was a wild ride!

Nuno: Thank you! This was a trip down memory lane. I hope it all makes sense once you edit it! (laughs)

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Listen to the mix he created for City Nomads via our mixcloud or click play below:

Follow Nuno and stay updated on his latest happenings at his channels:
@nuageape on Instagram | Soundcloud | Resident Advisor