Footshooter ft: Natty Wylah & brother portrait - Obelisk (Single)
Photo Credit: Kit Powis Page
New Tru Thoughts signee Footshooter, AKA South London-based producer and DJ Barney Whittaker, follows up on his broken beat single “Here To Learn feat. Andre Espeut” with the slick, but breezy “Obelisk”. The single is made in collaboration with rappers Natty Wylah and brother portrait.
Speaking on the team-up, 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”.
Footshooter’s production style takes in influences from broken beat, 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. Barney’s records as Footshooter and SAUL (with Jack Stephenson-Oliver on Rhythm Section International) have earned airplay and support on BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA, BBC 6Music, NTS Radio, Jazz FM, and Rinse FM, from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Bradley Zero, Errol (Touching Bass), Alexander Nut (Eglo Records), Shy One, Virgil Abloh, Zakia, Jyoty, Nabihah Iqbal, Bonobo, Jamz Supernova, Mary Anne Hobbs, Mr. Scruff, and more. As a Balamii Radio resident for the past five years, Footshooter has hosted his monthly show 'Sonic Fruits’, welcoming guests such as Brother Portrait, MA.MOYO, Allysha Joy, Laura Misch, Anja Ngozi, Rare Treat, Alexander Nut, Vimbai Mango, and more.
His musically diverse live band sets and DJ sets over the past eight years have taken him to Boiler Room London, Tate Modern, Alexandra Palace, The Jazz Cafe, and the Barbican Centre, as well as performances at Brainchild, We Out Here, and Love Supreme festivals.