Throughout Footshooter's new album The Oasis (via Tru Thoughts), he helps us revisit our perception of jazz as he bends and warps into a variety of different forms.
The soulful sound of Footshooter is shaped by broken beat, jazz, and house - offering a rich blend that bridges past inspirations with a future-facing vision. Apart from inviting a plethora of genres to mingle with his style, we’re also acquainted with a range of guests from different realms who have helped bring this album to life. One of the stand-out gems from his sonic treasury is "Surrey Canal Road" featuring the talented James Mollison. Thanks to the saxophone's cries, this experience walks a fine line between hopeful and melancholic. At the same time, the rhythm section splashes color across the mix by virtue of the vibrant percussion, while the gentle keys offer a moody charm.
Another worth mentioning is "Folding", a track exploring "the shifting tides of relationships" with Allysha Joy, the lead singer of 30/70 Collective. This release is built on jungle/breakbeat drums, warm pulsating synths, and mesmerizingly trippy vocals. From start to finish, we’re constantly surprised on this album as it’s full of dynamism and genre mashups.
What makes The Oasis even more interesting is that Footshooter describes it as a collection of moods gathered over three years, with collaboration and sharing sitting at the heart of the project. That idea really comes through in the music, as the album feels less like a fixed statement and more like a living conversation between producers, vocalists, rappers and instrumentalists.
I also love how the album keeps finding little pockets of calm between all the rhythmic chaos. "Sermon" slows things down with Sara El Harrak reflecting on the many forms of love, while "Parc de Belleville" brings Wilf Petherbridge’s lyrical horns into Footshooter's crisp broken-beat framework. There’s a real sense of movement here, but also of intention - this is music made to wander through, rather than simply sit in one genre box.
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