'I'm Just Gonna Do Me': Fwdslxsh On Plotting His Own Route

“I wanna work with some of my favourite artists. I just wanna make tracks that those artists never thought they would make, put artists on one of my beats that initially they would never think to ever go on. I'd love to work with Pharrell, Frank Ocean, Tyler The Creator, Chance the Rapper..."

Taking time out to chill and chat, fast-rising bedroom producer Fwdslxsh, aka Yinka Bankole, is in his final year studying economics and politics at university.

"I didn't start producing until I got to uni,” he said. “I've just been a big music junkie for as long as I can remember. I always used to watch videos of producers making beats and thought: ‘I wanna make this, something that gives me that sort of feel.’ So I bought a piano and began making music. I taught myself, learning off YouTube."

Driving new music while sampling old originals, Fwdslxsh’s atmospheric sounds flip/reverse reality. Delicately manipulating levels and building waves of immersive emotion, his intelligent productions stimulate serotonin release. Familiar and harmonious melodies travel track to track, enhanced by each listen. Brandy, Aaliyah and Justin Timberlake samples intersperse with modern house hooks, weaving their way into his cloud.

"My first EP, ‘The Fall’, was created from one continuous frame of mind,” he said. “With the EP there is a distinct kind of feel to it. That’s the sound I was going for. I wanted to put out a project that reflected the mood and the feeling I was having at that moment. The reason I called it 'The Fall' explains the feeling of falling in or out of love, to express that feeling. The big drops and the atmospheric sounds on the EP create a mood."

Having put together an outstanding mix for Hypetrak recently, audiences Stateside are as enthusiastic about the music as UK crowds.

"The internet is crazy, all my music is promoted via Soundcloud for free,” he said. “The supporters instilled a sense of confidence in me, when they liked what I played. At first when I started making music, I didn't tell anyone. I would put the music online but I wouldn't tweet it or anything. I guess I was too self conscious. But then, with time, people started listening to my stuff and sharing it." 

An advocate of sharing and streaming free music, Fwdslxsh’s debut EP was distributed to fans via his Soundcloud, which currently levels out at close to 30,000 followers. His video on the Majestic Casual YouTube channel has topped 700,000 plays. Kanye West’s creative director is also a supporter.

“Virgil Abloh and l have spoken on Twitter and DMs a couple of times,” he said. “He tweeted my music before. He's cool, man. He told me to send him the EP when it came out. He really does fuck with my sound which is nice, man, because he's cool."

In a consumer society, where the new becomes quickly old after one full play through, Fwdslxsh remains fresh and current, regardless of trend and marketability.

“I wouldn't conform to what I feel is commercial music,” he said. “The way I see it, if someone is going to approach me, it’s because they like what I make. I'm not going to think: ‘Wait. Let me make something commercial.’ I'm just gonna do me."

Fwdslxsh’s signing to Kaytranada’s label Huh, What & Where happened organically. Label buddy Stwo, vocalist Ali and Reva Devito hit him up when they discovered his Soundcloud releases and became hooked on the beats. Endless self promotion and empty hype are the antithesis of what Fwdslxsh is about.

Using his social networking channels to speak philosophically, to draw attention to real greatness or just express a genuine feeling, he interacts honestly with his audience. His day-to-day uniform is all black. Everything.

“Me personally, I’m not into fashion. I can recognise a good outfit and good design, but me personally, nah,” he said. “Fashion rap isn't something I wouldn't say I'm impressed by, but I don't actively try and emulate it. Usually when I get money, all my money goes towards the music, buying equipment. Clothes aren't the first thing on my mind."

Part of the elusive art collective 'Last Night In Paris' Fwdslxsh and his boys have played their beautiful, dark, dream-laced, poetic rap across the world. Love for him and his squad runs deep.

"We premiered our latest 'Pure' movie in a club called Silencio in Paris,” he said. “We all together travelled over, spent the day chilling and getting ready, had soundcheck, some steak, then the show. The whole squad was together. It was amazing, the turnout after was sick. Crew member Dani had a show the day after, he was opening for EZ so we all went, jumped on stage for a couple of songs.

“It was a cool couple of days in Paris. Even when I have my shows the boys come with me. It feels different performing solo. When I'm with the whole squad everyone is together having fun. When it’s just me it feels like the focus is on me, but I have fun with it the same way."

Fwdslxsh will confirm his tour schedule this summer after he has his degree in hand and focus set fully to the music. Right now he has to cut our conversation short to leg it back to the library. An essay is overdue and he's spent the morning whiling away time at his girl’s house.

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