Natty Wylah - 10 Questions + BRUCE (Mixtape)
North London’s Natty Wylah drops new mixtape ‘BRUCE’ via Gecky Records. Through Natty’s unique style of rap which blends elements of spoken word and layered samples with his meditative, breathy flow and vivid lyrical imagery, 'BRUCE' is a collection of tracks expertly representing his powerful skills as a lyricist and storyteller.
Finding influence from jazz, grime, post-punk and the surreal, Natty's unique sound has gained attention across BBC Radio 1 & 1xtra and BBC 6 Music from Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova, Toddla T, Don Letts and Tom Robinson, and been touted as one of Amazing Radio’s Tips for 2021. Also responsible for creating the artwork for each of his releases, his creativity stems from his non-conformist parents - his mother, an abstract painter, was into punk and jazz while his dad was a lover of dub, reggae and rocksteady. An artist of deep intelligence, ‘BRUCE’ is not only a frank and honest outpouring from Natty Wylah, but a mirror to the realities of everyday life.
Natty sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
Before I was ever conceived I imagine my Mama twirling around to some Nat King Cole when she was young, to thrashing around at a Sex Pistols gig, to the point when I was in the womb, there was probably some heavy dub vibrations I was kicking me feet to. It’s always been around me and I have to thank my ‘rents and their love for music that’s helped give me a strong bedding to shoot my roots into!
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
If I’m really honest the people I’m already connected to influence me massively. Oliver Palfreyman is someone who’s explorative sound is proper fresh, I rate his musics very much and his collaborators such as the beautiful George Riley are things you need to go check out if you ain’t already! Joseph Efi who I have an EP brewing with, on a similar vein to Oliver has an expansive sound, again, it’s this experimental approach that is the juice of inspiration, seeking new avenues, chopping shit up, resampling, recording weird noises: embracing the strange. Someone who I’m not connecting with yet but the man Eyedress put out a project recently that is so strong, on some new-wave post-punk vibrations but with his own sprinkles - I’d like to link with Eyedress one day, yeah.
3. What are some of the problems you have faced making and releasing the music during the coronavirus pandemic?
I guess it can feel isolating for lack of a more appropriate word. Releasing into the abyss that is the internet without much tangible recognition, likes or lack of likes on a screen is quite a hollow sense of reciprocation. Being able to perform to a crowd of sweaty people - that’s when you feel alive and appreciated. However none the less It’s been so fruitful for me to hermit and hone my craft - I’ve been self producing and getting deep into the world of sonics so It’s forced me into this cave of creation which is not so bad :).
4. How would you describe your sound?
Saturated, Visual & Journeying.
5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
I’d say putting on my own shows has been the maddest, especially the Pigeon Hole where I curated the whole thing, music, film, organised the whole fucker then headlined… the release of finally finishing was some serious elation, no drugs could induce that level of high.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?Yeah, try not to overthink it all. Don’t ever try to impress anyone else - try to impress yourself (I read that on a yogi tea).
7. Are there any artists on your radar at the moment that we should check out?
Aforementioned, Oliver Palfreyman and George Riley for the dynamic duo. I have to recommend my guy Maxwell Owin for extreme wizardry and even just the way he titles his work is inspiring for me, deep with it. The energy that is Eerf Evil - just dropped his new project ‘Ends & Beyond’ with my darg Srigala, who produced most of the joints on my new tape. Lex Amor for the kind of soft spoken elegance that’ll still make you screw your face up. Sunken my G’s for some highly cinematic sonics in a sweet and off-kilter timbre. Joseph Efi for the expansive mesh of the most beautiful merge of madness musically I can’t even put words around the levels of exploration mans on. Carl Blarx my fucking bro for the most organic tangled rhyme rambles of the purest honesty and general life truths that we can all relate to.
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
I don’t really use Spotify that much I still find Youtube has got the gems that Spotify don’t have, the more niche stuff. But yeah The Durutti Column - Fidelity for them serenity sounds, during these weird times of the world these melancholy ambient pieces have been giving me life. Meitei - Komachi haunting, looping, ambient Japanese sounds. Theo Parrish - first floor. Southwestside Story vol. 19 - old school soul rollers.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
On good nights I scarper the cobbled roads of Londinium, lurking under mossy bridges peering through the waterfalls of broken gutters, listening to the chugging creaks of ghost trains passing overhead, pensively planning the next venture into the shady industry of music to save the world from the brain rotting auto-tune pop music that threatens to eliminate the small braincells that we have left.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
Pen, Pad & Pickled peppers.
Photo Credit: Never Seek Permission.