Footshooter reveals The Oasis

Amongst broken beat, Footshooter’s production style takes influences from jazz, house, and more, working with rappers, poets and vocalists to create a soulful sound referencing the past while being firmly visionary in its approach.

Talking about the album, Footshooter says, “The Oasis is a collection of moods from the last three years. As with all my projects, collaboration and sharing is at the heart of it. The title refers to a wish for everyone to find their oasis among whatever desert is surrounding them – mine has and always will be music, creativity and collaboration. It’s a place of endless abundance that I always seek out and return to. Working with the artists on this record has given me so much energy, and it’s always a privilege to create with your friends on any level.”

On the soulful rooftop cut “Here To Learn” Footshooter collaborates with singer-songwriter André Espeut, an uplifting track, which André describes as a “testament to the strength of the human spirit”. “Andre’s vocals are warm and timeless” Footshooter adds, “reminding me of soulful house and garage classics from the late 90s/early 2000s, so I was keen to couple them with something musically forward-facing”.

“Obelisk” is made in collaboration with rappers Natty Wylah and brother portrait. The trio celebrate their shared admiration for each other’s artistry, the beauty of combining creative forces and finding a synergistic sweet spot. Footshooter says, “I had wanted to get Natty and Portrait on a track together for years, knowing that their flows would complement each other perfectly”. Natty Wallah adds, “Bouncing off artists that I am inspired by is a beautiful thing… Footshooter sent the sonics and they provoked some cosmic but gritty like the city is imagery… joining forces with brother portrait is magical – one for the lyricists to geek to and the freaks to move their feet to!!”. brother portrait echoes this sentiment, “It’s always an honour to be invited to offer vocals for a Footshooter tune. Natty is a wicked and wise MC who I’ve wanted to connect with for a while. The instrumental had us both bouncing and ponderous, Natty’s hook set the tone and off we went. A flowing lyrical back and forth, steel sharpening steel”.

On “Folding” Footshooter is joined by soul-jazz powerhouse Allysha Joy whose meditative reflections on the shifting tides of relationships unravel on the track. “Ally’s vocals are so rich and instantly recognisable that they turn everything they touch to gold,” reflects Footshooter after watching Allysha effortlessly layer her unmistakable runs over a jungle-inspired beat crafted just hours earlier. “Folding is all about that feeling of desperate desire, overcome by just the slightest touch, a soft word spoken or a kiss. It is the pain of wanting what is just beyond your reach and the joy of connection as it comes to be, even if only for a moment.” – Allysha Joy

Mercury Prize-winning James Mollison of Ezra Collective appears on the album twice with his feature on “Surrey Canal Road” an ode to the artistic spirit of the road where the studio is located in South Bermondsey. James’s saxophone topline dances through the track, finding space amongst the layers and elevating the percussion, transporting listeners to sunlit realms. Speaking on the track Cycles, a jazzy, broken beat odyssey, Footshooter says “Cycles began as a loop, and slowly built in scope and sense of space. I managed to catch James in the studio when he was in between touring with Ezra Collective, and he laid these sax chops in a few hours. James’s tone and ease on the sax is pure magic.”

“What You Saw” exemplifies the theme of seeking sanctuary, on a plane between “dream and lucidity” as MA.MOYO, the South London mainstay, explains. Mahon’s guitar adds a delicacy that compliments this veiled borderland, mirrored in Footshooter’s beat-making, “allowing space for the words to permeate”.

Among the themes are testaments to Footshooter’s dynamism as a producer. “Reverie” provides a soothing interlude, serving as a tranquil layover guided by Cynthia’s euphoric vocals, before diving back into the uplifting spoken word piece, “Boomerang (ft. Native & Wilf Petherbridge)”. Footshooter crossed paths with Native, also known as Ehireme, when they ran workshops with young people in prisons together a few years ago. The track is “a snapshot of the bond between father and son, capturing the acceptance that the child will inevitably fly the nest,” all within the safety and comfort of unconditional love. The flows are set against an uplifting beat that ascends, giving a sense of takeoff, accompanied by soulful horns from long-time collaborator Wilf Petherbridge.

“The Loop”, exclusively on the digital album, is a reimagining of an unreleased piece from 2019. With a swung groove and syncopated synth work, this dancefloor track resets the pace, leading into the final third of the album. “Sermon” slows the tempo, making way for Sara El Harrak’s reflections on “the multifaceted nature of love from the romantic to the communal.” “Parc de Belleville”, named after Footshooter’s retreat above the chaos of Paris, features more lyrically styled horns from Wilf Petherbridge atop his signature, crisp broken beat production.