Q&A: Gravity Pulls “Future Soul” Band Yakul Home with New Album
BOUNCING BETWEEN GENRES, BRIGHTON’S “FUTURE SOUL” BAND — Yakul is set to release their second album, Gravity Pulls You Home, on Aug. 2. Known for their textured synth and smooth vocals, the four-piece group features James Berkeley (vocals and keys), Tom Caldwell-Nichols (Bass), Sam Hughes (drums), and Leo Utton (guitar). Their debut album, Rise Indigo, was released in 2021, and after three years of work, they’re ready for fans to hear their new album.
“[Gravity Pulls You Home] speaks to the power of intuition over our lives,” Berkeley shares. “Sometimes we all lose sight of where we’re going but if we pay attention close enough and relinquish the need to control everything, we’ll be guided where we need to go.”
As a sneak peek for this upcoming album, Yakul released four singles, “Start Here,” “In the Fire,” “Only,” and “Think We Do,” all of which are available now on Spotify.
Berkeley sat down with Luna to talk about the creation of the band’s upcoming album, how the group came together, and where Yakul might go next. Read below to learn more about the band and Gravity Pulls You Home.
LUNA: Could you give me a quick background on how you all met and formed Yakul?
BERKELEY: Me and Tom started jamming in a basement back in 2016. I’d had a solo electronic project before then but had really missed playing with other musicians. We knew Sam a bit already and then saw him fill in for Vels Trio at a local festival and got him involved. Leo joined a couple years later. Brighton’s such a small place — if you’re doing a similar style of music, you can assume that everyone will know each other already.
LUNA: It’s been almost three years since you released your debut album. What in those three years helped prepare you for this upcoming album?
BERKELEY: We made the decision after Rise Indigo that we wanted to write everything together in the room. Prior to this record, that isn’t something we’d really done much. Generally I’d work a demo on my own and then bring it to the other boys. We took several writing retreats to the middle of the countryside over the past three years, and all the songs on the new album were conceived in this setting. I can really hear the difference in these songs compared to anything we’ve done previously.
LUNA: Were there any setbacks while creating this album? How did you work past them as a band?
BERKELEY: We’ve definitely hit some speed bumps during this process, and sometimes it’s felt hard to keep going. One thing that helped us last year was prioritizing time spent together outside of a music setting. One of the most important aspects to maintaining momentum is everyone feeling positively towards it. If you only ever see each other when you’re “working,” then it can take a toll for sure. Just hanging out without any work commitments can really fuel you.
We also were lucky enough to get PRS Momentum last year, which was incredibly helpful in keeping us on track.
LUNA: You’ve said you’re all influenced by Japanese film and music. Can that influence be seen in this album?
BERKELEY: You’ll notice the influence in some of the songwriting, for sure. I always take some inspiration in the way I write chords and generally approach harmony. I listened to a lot of Shigeo Sekito leading up to the writing of the album, as well as stuff like Flying Lotus’ Yasuke.
Saying that, the album definitely took on a life of its own during the process. It’s always incredible to me how little control you actually have in the direction of the final songs. We just tried to be present and trust our ideas.
LUNA: How long did it take to put together this album? Which part did you find most difficult?
BERKELEY: The whole writing, recording, and production process is our favorite part of being a band. We were held up a bit financially, which slowed it down. All in all, from the first writing retreat to the release of the album, it took about three years.
LUNA: You’ve said it’s hard to put your music under one genre. What genre would you say fits this new album?
BERKELEY: I guess I’d still put this album under the genre “future soul.” There’re two main styles across the album: a more synth-heavy and moody aesthetic and a more organic and introspective one.
LUNA: What are you most proud of in your career so far? And what dreams do you have for Yakul's future?
BERKELEY: Honestly, this album is definitely the thing I’m most proud of. Just to have got it to this point feels very special, and I’ve never been more proud of a body of work.
We’ve obviously played some great shows over the years, but I think the thing that has affected me most is some of the beautiful messages we’ve got from fans. One incredible artist from Japan called Kento Hino sent us these drawings of us all. I’ve got them on the wall in the studio and I look at them every day. It reminds me of the power of music and how lucky and grateful I am that something we’ve created has had such a positive impact on somebody.
LUNA: If you had to replace your car with the cat bus from My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s castle from Howl’s Moving Castle, or Haku in dragon form from Spirited Away, which would you choose and why?
BERKELEY: I love that question. I’m gonna go for the cat bus because it’s closest to the van, and I don’t do well with big changes. Also, Howl’s castle moves pretty slow, and fitting all the equipment on Haku might be tricky. That cat bus is proper speedy — we definitely need to be on time!
