Dance, No One’s Watching, the third studio album from the modern-day jazz powerhouse that is Ezra Collective, is an artistic masterpiece that draws on multi-genre influences while continuing to strengthen the band’s unmistakable sound.
Written during an eventful 2023 that took the Mercury Prize winning band on a world tour, Dance, No One’s Watching captures the essence of the many dance floors they encountered along the way. The album is divided into four acts: ‘Cloakroom Link Up’, ‘In the Dance’, ‘Our Element’, and ‘Lights On’, almost mirroring all the different phases of immersive music and dance events that Ezra Collective are evidently so well-versed with.
The opening track, ‘Intro’ immediately foreshadows the aura of the record as a whole – warm, fuzzy, and synonymous with a feeling of bustling energy, the song is emblematic of the wider, so-called collective that the band pride themselves on.
“The entire essence of Ezra Collective is built around the world ‘collective’”, remarked Femi Koloseo, the main man behind the London-based five piece. “It’s a family thing, it’s an inclusive thing. It’s a weird thing that we’ve made so many records where the collective beyond the band wasn’t present. For this record, I’m so grateful that we were able to have the entire family. That’s what’s made it so special.” The group clearly centres their community, culture, and cult following in their artistry, a theme they consistently explore throughout Dance, No One’s Watching.
For example, the following couple of songs on the track are some of the most inspired and homage-paying on the entire album. ‘The Herald’, inspired by the likes of music legends, Fela Kuti and Pharrell, presents a vibrant eruption of sound that radiates warmth and energy. This track shines as a standout moment on the album, featuring bold saxophone melodies and infectious rhythms that invite listeners to move along, however they might choose to. ‘Palm Wine’ swiftly follows, presenting a nod to the drink that is a staple of varying West African cultures whilst delivering a sound that is equally as sweet and addictive.
‘God Gave Me Feet for Dancing’, the first single released from the record and the first collaborative track within their latest release, showcases Yazmin Lacey’s stunning vocals over a groove-infused jazz beat, setting the relaxed, soulful tone for the first act of the album. The track embodies the album’s hedonistic roots, celebrating joy and indulgence with carefree abandon: “Give me bass line / Give me dollar wine / God gave me feet for dancing / And that’s exactly what I’ll do.” The track serves as an irresistible invitation to embrace the moment, perfectly capturing the spirit of revelry and self-expression that flows throughout their newest material, and the small pleasures that are to be appreciated within our day-to-day lives.
The final two remaining songs within the first act, ‘Ajala’ and ‘The Traveller’ inject an intimate yet fun-filled feel to the record, with the first track slowly building itself up with ad-libbing from the band and moments of interaction with a live crowd before erupting into an experimental, abstract jazz flow that takes the listener by surprise. Both tracks reiterate Ezra Collective’s ability to create and sustain a sound that is simultaneously distinctive, though never complacent.
The second act of the record, ‘In the Dance’, opens with ‘N29’, a soul-soaked instrumental piece that draws in rhythmic percussion and keys that speak for themselves in shining a light on the group’s technical abilities. Speaking about the track, bassist TJ noted, “It feels like such an end-of-the-evening song, that journey home”. Though in this regard, the track slows down the pace within an act that’s very title suggests an upbeat setting, it also highlights the variety of dance and movement that Ezra Collective took inspiration from when writing the record.
“We were looking at the dance floors while making it,” Koloseo revealed. “As humans we don’t realise how similar we look when we’re dancing. Every gig we do, everyone looks the same, because that sense of union is the same. We’ve got it in common. That’s what the album is, all these different places where dancing took place. A bit of Glastonbury, a bit of a house party, a bit of Church.” This very perspective that dance can take many forms, and take place in a multitude of settings, whether impassioned, unrestrained, or serene, is what makes the record so exciting, unexpected, and refreshing upon first listen.
The album’s second collaborative track, ‘No One’s Watching Me’ features Olivia Dean, whose soft, neo-soul vocals serve to communicate the album’s key message: one should not allow others’ perspectives or presence to impede on life’s most meaningful moments. The lyrics, “Offline and we’re in time / Won’t you close your eyes / For me, for me”, emphasise this theme beautifully, and bring a sense of vocalised romance and warmth to an otherwise largely instrumental album that invites personal interpretation.
‘Our Element’, the third act on the album symbolises the release of pent up frustration, stress, anything contrasting to joy. ‘Hear My Cry’ cuts through the album’s core, shattering any misconceptions or pretences about what one might expect from a jazz band. It delivers a sonic bundle of instruments that work in unison, driving you to move – or more accurately – let go and release. Rhythmic, high-energy, and eruptive, the track is most definitely a highlight on the album; and perhaps a highlight within Ezra Collective’s much broader discography. ‘Shaking Body’ and ‘Expensive’ follow this audible tone shift within the album, bringing an element of swagger and confidence to an album that embodies not only classical jazz but reimagined strands of the genre.
‘Streets is Calling’, featuring M.anifest and Moonchild Sanelly, is the third and final artistic collaboration on the album, and one that continues down a similar path to the former tracks. Introducing the most blatantly genre defying track on the album, transcending rap, dub, and jazz, the group come together on this track to cultivate a sound that exudes an attitude of coolness and bravado. Again, this is a track that highlights Ezra Collective’s tapestry of sounds and ability to appeal to wider audiences than merely jazz aficionados.
‘Lights On’, the fourth and final act of the latest release, commences with ‘Why I Smile’, a laid-back, ad hoc, and experimental instrumental piece. With erratically placed keys and occasionally conflicting tones, the song leans into Ezra Collective’s bold and creative style and broader ethos of resisting the pressure to fit into a narrow, binary category. ‘Have Patience’ and the final, classical track, ‘Everybody’, follow a similar stylistic direction, featuring beautifully delicate keys that take centre stage, before the latter track culminates in a dramatic, moving climax, signalling a significant reduction in the high-energy pace of the earlier tracks. This conclusion to the diverse and deeply inspired new release serves as a metaphor for the emancipation that dance can bless us with.
Overall, Dance, No One’s Watching delivers a vibrant and powerful celebration of the simplest joys in life – friends, music, and movement – offering the chance for Ezra Collective to solidify their position even further within both the alt-jazz scene and the mainstream. Its release, aptly timed with the transition from summer to autumn, serves as a reminder that even in periods of darkness, embracing stripped-back, unifying experiences can provide a refreshing reset and a source of healing for us all.
Words by Ruby Brown
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