The duo Nation— vocalist Fresh Jame (Frank) and producer Funball (Will)— met while modeling in London and formed the project in 2018. Frank, a rapper, and Will, a painter with a background in audio engineering, began making music through loose, marathon sessions spent tripping on mushrooms, key-smashing drum machines, and pulling from a chaotic mix of Rage Against the Machine, rap-rock, video game soundtracks, and all manner of “dinky shit.”

The two stumbled into music without any lofty goals, but their euphoric dance-pop, spitfire punk ethos, and refreshingly raw spirit quickly made them secret favorites of the underground. In 2021, a chance encounter with Yves Tumor at a downtown Los Angeles rave sparked a friendship rooted in a shared respect for DIY culture and experimental art. That connection eventually brought them into Yves’ studio, where Nation entered a wider creative orbit— meeting, befriending, and collaborating with artists pushing at the edges of music, performance, and underground culture.